A Human No More
by xAncientDragonx
Summary: Isabelle, a teenage girl living with her dad, finds herself torn from her everyday life when she is kidnapped by the Decepticons (at the end of season 2). She awakens within Darkmount only to discover that she isn't human anymore-at least, she doesn't think she is.
1. Prologue

The only character I own in this story is Isabelle, so please do not use her in another fanfiction without my permission.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any of the lyrics posted in this fanfiction. The credit for them belongs to the respected artists as well as my thanks for inspiration for this story.

As I stumble along this crumbling road, my fear and anguish are on the brink of consuming me. I am almost ready to succumb to the pain of my still bleeding sides. My hair dangling in front of my one eye is barely distinguishable from the ashes of my surroundings. Smoke rises from the small desert town in the distance as I turn back to stare at it and wonder... _What happened?_ A long period of silence almost consumes the scene of smoldering fires. The sound of jet engines grows closer, and then stops. The ground trembles around me periodically as if...some titan were on its way to end my suffering. A silent shadow covers me from behind and the heated air becomes cool. _This is it. Some unearthly being has come to finish these unexplainable events by snuffing out my life..._ The vision in my remaining eye darkens and the ground grows nearer and nearer. _This is the end. _

"Almost there, Belle," my dad announced while glancing behind him to see me yawning in the back seat of Jim's pickup-truck. It was the summer after my sophomore year in high school. We had been driving to Jim's house in Jasper, Arizona all night, and now he wanted to go shooting in the desert first thing after breakfast. Jim was a nice guy, and was one of my dad's only friends who knew him since high-school. My dad was a guy who was almost always right in survival matters and current affairs. At least, it seemed like that to me, because I seemed to have inherited that part of him. I glanced in the review mirror to see if my brunette hair had become disheveled. It was still in a ponytail, but my side-swept bangs had been fluffed a little. My blue checkered shirt had become twisted around my torso, and the sleeves were coming unrolled. While I was straightening them, Jim turned onto a dirt road and the cabin began to shake violently. I held onto the seat to avoid hitting my head as we sluggishly traversed to the end of the road.

When we finally stopped, I opened the door and jumped through the wall of heat into the scorching desert sun. We had stopped between two hills next to the flattest land I had ever seen. I could barely make-out the vertical landforms in the distance. My dad and Jim exited the truck and walked around to the back of it to gaze at their firearms before loading the magazines. In the meantime, I strolled around the hillside to look for items for target practice. I found a few empty cans and a few bottles. My father called me down, after he thought I had collected enough, so we could begin. He allowed me shoot one of his bigger guns, and it had a lot of kick to it.

"You're leaning into it too much," he remarked as he began to correct my stance. "I know you're trying to use the gun as leverage, but don't. Stand up straight. You'll aim much better if you do this." A tad bit annoyed, I corrected my stance, and took a deep breath. I focused my sights on one of the cans set a few feet from the hill in front of us, and squeezed the trigger. "Nice!" my dad exclaimed as it went flying backwards towards the hillside. I grinned and felt triumphant that I had impressed my father.

After we had finished, my dad asked me to pick up the cans so that they wouldn't be left out there. I found all of the cans at the base of the hill except for the one I had shot earlier. It turned out that it had flown much farther than I thought it did. The hike back up the small hill was almost unbearable, because I hadn't adjusted to the Arizona heat yet. I finally found the can halfway up the hill before five fighter jets soared overhead towards the desert plain. Curious, I made my way to the top to see where they were going. When I reached the top, surprise and horror overcame me. A massive, unearthly, black spire reached towards the sky and was aiming its cannons right at the jets and... I turned around to see that they were also aiming at Jasper, the town we just drove from.

"Jim, start the car!" I screamed down the hill. They seemed to realize that I wasn't joking when I started to sprint down the hill. Jim flung-open the front door and got inside to start the engine. My father got in the other side after glancing to see if I was still running towards them. I jumped into the bed of the truck and commanded Jim to drive as fast as he could away from Jasper. Without question, he threw the truck into gear and raced down the gravel road. The sound of the cannons from the spire echoed through the desert. I looked up to see debris from the jets falling towards us. It barely missed us, but a piece of scalding metal broke off of some of the plane and landed right in my left eye socket. I screamed in pain and felt the vision in my left eye fade away while the searing pain remained. Half blind, I held my eye as I fell on my side due to the shaking. I heard the back of the truck open as I slid towards it. Desperate to stay in, I grasped for anything with my right hand. I ended up grabbing the edge of something on the tire cover just as my body reached the corner of the truck bed. My arm was wrapped around the edge as I hung on for dear life. We made a hard turn onto the main road and the truck door slammed hard on my shoulder and head. The feeling in my right arm seized and I slid out of the truck bed and rolled across the road. As my vision faded, I could see the truck racing away and hear my dad commanding Jim to turn around. Heat began to grow intense from behind me and I saw that he explosion of the town had caused a massive cloud to form above it and waves of heat to rush outward. The truck was barely a speck on the horizon when my remaining vision went black.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

My eyes flash open to find myself in what seems like a dark, gargantuan laboratory. As if some evil scientist had shrunken me down and strapped me to a giant slanted torture table. _Wait...my eyes!?_ _I have two eyes!_ But, strangely enough, one of them isn't organic. My once bleeding holes are once again filled and my arm has feeling in it again, but searing pain ignites them as if someone had smelted metal into my skin. I look down and find that this pain is quite literally from the wielding of metal to flesh. _What am I?_ I wonder in horror.

"Right this way, Lord Megatron," a deep robotic voice mumbles from the other side of a wall. The seeming barrier transforms into a doorway holding two giant figures that enter the room. One of them is a bulky robot with one red eye, and the other, a robot that has a commanding and regal, yet terrifying presence. "So this is the survivor the troops found? I see you've been busy Shockwave," the one called Megatron remarks in a voice equivalent to every child's worst nightmare. "How do you like what I've done to your home, human? Your species should learn to fear us after we showed them what we are capable of," he sneers as he draws closer. I do nothing more than glare into his menacing red eyes. "This one's strong-willed, I see," Megatron derides in a mocking tone before turning to Shockwave, "Do what you will with this... thing. I have a hunt to take charge of."

"Yes, Lord Megatron," Shockwave bows slightly as Megatron exits and the doorway transforms once more into a wall. Shockwave turns to me and stares for a moment with no emotion in his one eye. "Human... I have made you more whole than you once were. I have grown synthetic Cybertronian eye and limbs to transplant into you and create what you are now... I have also taken some of my Predacon's cyber-genetic material and fused that into yours. I will perform a series of tests I perform on my subjects like you, only...they were not human, so I am intrigued to see how you will withstand them." His voice is no different from his eye, as if he could not care less whether I lived or died. As if he would just toss my corpse to the side and find something else to study. "Now then..." he continues as he reaches for his tools, "Let's begin."

My vision fades in and out as I am carried through a lightless corridor. I sit suspended by chains between my escorts. The metallic wings on my back weigh me down, for there is no life in them to balance me. _How many times has this cycle gone through?_ I wonder. _It's always been tests, minimal rest in a prison cell, and then the process starts all over again. I've been here for days, but it's hard to tell, because I haven't seen daylight in so long. What's going to happen when my body can't withstand these tests anymore?_ My thoughts are disrupted when the guards come to a sudden halt, causing me to swing forward slightly as I look up to see another prisoner being escorted across our path. He seems to be unconscious while they drag him past us.

"Hey," I croak to him.

"Silence!" One of my guards commands.

"Hey!" I manage to shout hoarsely. The prisoner opens his eyes slightly and groans. "Wake up!" I plead, "Neither of us wanna die here! I know you can do something!"

"Quiet!" The guard yanks on one of my chains. The other pair of guards drag him away before he has the chance to come to.

"Please," my voice lowers and tears begin to roll down my cheek, "help me." Despair overtakes me as the prisoner is hauled out of sight and my guards resume carrying me back to my cell.

"This isn't enough," I mumble while Shockwave tosses bones into my cell.

"It is organic material. You should be able to survive on it," he answers.

"Wow, you really know nothing about us do you?"

"Excuse me?" he turns around, his eye glowing. A devious smirk forms on my face.

"If you cared to study the life forms whose planet you're invading, you would find that our bodies require multiple nutrients. These," I point at the bones, "I can't survive on that. Also, our bodies require water, which provide the most vital nutrients we need. The very least you could do is get me some of that-if you want me to last more than a few days."

"It is very illogical for you to question my mental capacity. My intellect has surpassed that of what you humans know and is superior to yours."

"A wise man once said that he who claims to know all is worse off than he who admits he is ignorant," I counter. He pauses for a moment, his eye glowing brighter, and then fading to normal.

"I will consider that...along with whether I should bring you what you have requested, or allow you deteriorate in here." My smirk turns to a frown and I glare at him.

"Go ahead, then! Kill me! I'm not afraid of death...not after what you've done to me," I snarl, still attempting to scorch him with the hatred in my gaze.

"Fascinating," he says to himself while turning to walk away and leave me alone in my prison. I slowly hobble over to the bones and pick them up with my human hand. . _What the hell am I going to do with this?_ My eyes fall on the limp robotic arm at my side. _This would be much easier with both hands... But I refuse to use this...thing he's bestowed upon me._

Alarms begin to blare and awaken me to an empty laboratory. I glance around and notice that I have been left chained to my usual torture table. It seems that Shockwave left in a hurry, because I know he wouldn't have left me with such an easy chance of escape. The entire structure is shaking at random intervals like someone was setting off explosives. My shackles finally begin to loosen from their secure places in the table after my efforts. _This is my one and only chance to escape._I can hear muffled gunfire close by in the halls. The shackles continue to come loose as I struggle, but at a sluggish rate. _At this rate, they'll never come loose!_ In order to escape, I realize that I have to try to put those tests performed on me to use. Shockwave had administered extreme electronic pulses to my "Cybertronian" arm in attempt to get me to use it. My eyes close as I attempt to focus on nothing but that arm. To find a feeling, anything. I search, panicked, for a few minutes. ... Nothing. I notice that the gunfire has ceased outside the room. _This isn't going to work. There's no escape. I'll probably die in here..._Despair begins to consume me as these thoughts float through my mind. Then, a new feeling rises from my anguish. _No... NO! This isn't the last of me! Shockwave will pay for what he's done!_Rage builds inside me and I notice a new sensation in my back for the first time; the feeling of my metallic wings gaining mobility. The anger and loathing I feel force my eyes burn and glow fiercer as a metal cocoon rapidly surrounds me. New eyes open to see the laboratory from a different height. I realize that I am no longer strapped to the table and let out a triumphant roar. Startled by this outburst, I stop and look down to realize that I have transformed into what resembles...a dragon.

Even more excited, I crash through the door and bound down the long hallways in search of the nearest exit. Guards are posted through-out these hallways, but it doesn't matter. I fling them aside with my now huge claws and continue my quest. I speed down the hallways until I stumble upon what seems to be a storage room for relics of different sorts. My sprint slows until I come to a stop inside the room. I gaze at one object after the other, forgetting my rage for a moment, until my eyes rest on one item in particular; a giant orange sword. Without thinking, my claws reach for it and it instantly flashes images in my mind. They seem to be of robotic dinosaurs. Confused, I shake my head until the images fade. I look up to see that the sword has disappeared. Forgetting what just happened, my rage quickly returns and I blast through the relics and bound own the hallways once more in search of a way out.

After no success, I conclude that the only exit for me must be created. I part my jaws and allow heat to build in my throat. My instincts tell me to face the nearest wall and a beam of light shoots from my gaping maw, creating a giant hole. By pure luck, the wall had been separating me from the outside. I look below me and realize that where I stand is hundreds of feet from the ground.

I spot a skirmish happening at the base of the spire and two figures dogfighting not far from where I stand. One of them I can recognize as Megatron, but the other is a blue-eyed robot I have never seen before. He bears the color red on his torso and blue on his head. The two sides can only be differentiated, at first, by the color their eyes glow. The diverse appearances of the blue-eyed ones become apparent as I look closer, though. One of them is a massive green wrecker, larger than the rest. Another white, red, and green one wields two swords. A black and yellow one shoots with a small arm cannon while dodging enemy fire. A small, feminine-shaped, blue one does the same. The opposing side all have the same, generic appearance, very dark purple with a centered, v-shaped, red visor as the only feature to their faces. I then spot Shockwave on the ground leading a side in the fight. My anger burns hotter than ever at the sight of him.

To announce my presence, I let out a blood curdling roar. The fighting stops and neither of the sides look pleased to see me. I hurl myself into the air and aim strait for Shockwave. I land directly onto him and pin his arms to the ground with my hind claws. Everything that he did to me, I unleash twice upon him by tearing at the plate of metal that is his chest.

In the middle of a swing, a shot is fired into my back. I let out a screech and turn to the red-eyed robot that fired. My head lowers as I stalk towards him, growling. More shots are fired into my back by the other surrounding red-eyed robots. I don't even notice, at first, but the blue-eyed ones have stepped back and are simply watching from a safe distance.

Outrage at the purple ones drives me to swing at the nearest soldier and let lose my beam upon the rest. Before five minutes have passed, the only ones alive on the ground are the blue-eyed robots, Shockwave, and I. My fury forces me to whip around and face the blue-eyed ones. I growl as they ready their weapons. The one with two swords lunges at me, and, in response, I stand my ground while letting out a ferocious roar. He leaps onto my back and lodges a sword into my shoulder before I rear to land on him and roll off, still glaring at him. My teeth grasp the hilt as I pull it from my shoulder and fling it towards the ground in front of him. I feel something preventing me from attacking him for reasons beyond my knowing._Wait,_ I falter in my stance, _he's the prisoner from before!_ The others seem to notice my uncertainty, because they hesitate to shoot at me. He jumps to his feet and swiftly retrieves his sword to raise both between us, ready to defend. I am barely standing from the wounds I gained from the soldiers. _Why didn't he ever come back? Doesn't he remember me?_As I attempt to step towards him, my entire body collapses and I transform back into a weak human. I fall to my hands and knees and can do nothing other than cry. Cry over what Shockwave did, what I have done, what I am. _Why couldn't they have just killed me?_


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Silence surrounds me and I am left alone to weep between two sides; one I know nothing of and one I would obliterate from the face of the universe if I could. I can feel the robots behind me waver as they stare in awe at my half-cybernetic body. Footsteps gingerly vibrate the ground as they come closer. My eyes still brimming with tears, I look to see that it's the black and yellow robot that came forward with what seemed like pity in his big blue eyes. He makes a few bleeping sounds before reaching towards me. Alarmed, I quickly stand to face him before wincing at the pain caused by my sudden movement. _What if he's no different than the Decepticons?_

"Be careful, Bumblebee, it could be dangerous," the small blue one says.

"C'mon, Arcee, she just scrapped that whole squad of Decepticons," the large green one argues.

"Exactly my point, Bulkhead," she mumbles. We stare at each other in fear, until an explosion erupts at the top of the tower. I quickly realize that the explosion is due to the military jets flying overhead. _Humans?!_Bumblebee grabs me with both hands before I can react and transforms into a black and yellow muscle car. He speeds away from the tower while I look back to watch it fall behind us. The others follow Bumblebee's example, and transform to follow him. We drive until we reach a highway still in view of the tower. As he transforms back into a robot while still holding me in his hands, I realize that he's protecting me.

"Why?" my voice trembles as I look into his big eyes. He gazes back at me and bleeps once more in what I think means _I felt sorry for you._The others draw closer as Bumblebee sets me down. I feel so weak, I can barely stand. A sports car races towards us and transforms into robot form behind the group.

"Aww man... I missed it!" he complains as he gazes up at the collapsing tower. Then he sees me. "Who's that?"

"We're not entirely sure yet..." Arcee responds.

Behind me, the red and blue one lands and kneels, as I turn to face him, to observe me closer. It is then I realize how robust he is. His eyes are calm and perceptive. I feel perfectly at ease letting this giant examine me, for some reason. A tall blue and pinkish robot approaches from the tower and looks at me in surprise, but remains silent.

"What is your name?" the red and blue one asks. The way he asked... I feel no need to lie to him.

"Isabelle," I answer.

"Isabelle..." he echoes. "I am Optimus Prime. If you don't mind, I have some questions for you when we return to base. Ratchet, open a ground bridge." An enormous green portal opens behind him and he begins to walk towards it. I attempt to take a step, but my legs fail me and I fall to my hand and knees. A large hand hovers, palm up, next to me. I look up to see that it's the one that wields two blades.

"I got you, kid," he says. Grateful, I crawl onto his palm and hug my knees with my human arm trying to process what was going on. _So there's not just the Decepticons, but who are these robots? They seem okay, even though we almost killed each other just now... Where are we going? What's going to happen now? I can't go back home...not like this._I glance up at the robot carrying me in his hand. "Why didn't you come back?" I inquire woefully. He stops short of the ground bridge to peer down at me in surprise.

"What?"

"After they dragged you away, I heard gunfire. I assumed that you were either dead or you managed to escape. I can now see that it was the latter," I explain. "Before that, I called to you in the hallway when our escorts crossed paths. It seems that you never heard me though."

"Actually, I did hear you, I just couldn't see you," he replies. "As hardheaded as I am, the 'Cons managed to knock me out pretty good before you saw me."

"Then why didn't you come?"

"Look, sorry I didn't get you out sooner, alright? We got you out eventually didn't we?" The robot smiles at me before resuming towards the ground bridge. He strolls through the portal and we emerge into a ship much like the Decepticon fortress. A white and red robot finishes at a set of screens before turning around to stare in horror at me as the portal behind us closes.

"What in the name of the Allspark is that?!" he exclaims. My eyes turn to my hand clasped around my shins.

"Doc," the robot carrying me jumps to my defense.

"I don't know myself," I mumble sadly. His expression remains the same but his tone turns apologetic.

"Please, forgive me. I knew Shockwave was conducting experiments, but I never thought he would go as far as to do...this," he gestures to my wings, arm, and face. At the mentioning of the cyclopean scientist, rage builds inside me. I force it to subside before I transform again. My cybernetic eye had evidently begun to glow brighter, because, when I look up again, they all seem tense, even Optimus. He opens his mouth as to say something, but is interrupted by three humans.

"I can't believe we did it!" a girl who looks about my age with black hair in an unusual style exclaims. As soon as I see them, I am overcome by joy and grief at the same time. For a moment, I forget that I am in agony from my wounds. My eye wells with tears as I jump off of the hand I was standing on and instinctually spread my wings to glide to the floor towards them. I half-sprint, half-stagger towards the black haired boy and embrace him, his arms raised in surprise. He isn't the only one who was surprised. I hear the charging of guns behind me relax. Realizing what I am doing, I release him and jump back while restraining my lifeless, cybernetic elbow with my hand.

"Sorry... You're the first humans I've seen in months. I thought I'd never see one again when I was captive," I explain embarrassedly. I look towards the ground with a sorrowful smile on my face, "To think that I'd be going on a small trip with my dad..."

"You are not from here?" Optimus inquires, seeing this perfect opportunity to ask questions.

"No, I'm not. I drove from my home in California with my father to visit his friend who lives in Jasper. We were out testing their guns when I witnessed fighter jets flying towards that tower... An explosion happened, I fell out of the truck trying to escape after being hit with debris of military airplanes, and was found by the Decepticons, taken to Shockwave, and turned into what you see before you."

"I see..." Optimus answers.

"So how did you transform into a Predacon?" Arcee asks.

"She did what?!" The red and white one shouts with an astonished look on his face.

"Whoa!" The girl bursts out while excitedly staring at me with wide eyes.

"I'm no scientist, but I think he said something about splicing my DNA with a Predacon's CNA. He also said something about my transformations being something like the Apex Armor. I have no idea what that is, by the way," I reply. "Now I have a question for you. Who are you?"

"This," Optimus begins as he gestures to the red and white one, "is Ratchet, our medic. They," he, then gestures to Arcee, Bulkhead, and the white, green, and red one," are Bulkhead and Wheeljack, our wreckers, and Arcee, our field specialist." He looks toward Bumblebee, the sports car, and the tall blue and orange one," These are Bumblebee and Smokescreen, our scouts, and Lieutenant Ultra Magnus. The human counterparts of our team consist of Jack," the black haired one," Miko," the girl, "and Rafael," the younger kid with wild hair and glasses, "Together we are Team Prime of the Autobots." While taking all of the names into my head, I consider my options. _Should I stay with them, at least until I heal? I'm not sure I could survive on my own in this state._

"Hmmm. Well, Team Prime, seeing that I don't have anywhere else to go, would you mind if I stayed with you for a while?" I ask. Shocked by my own sudden proposal, questions pop into my head. _What am I doing?! I barely know them! I don't know if I can trust them! They don't even trust me!_

"You may stay," Optimus answers. "Just know that as long as you are unable to control your strength, we will be keeping close watch over you."

"Thank you," I sigh in relief. Remembering the unbearable aching of my body, my knees finally buckle and I collapse to the floor. I feel hands grab hold of my arms and pull me to me feet again. Jack and Miko put my arms around their shoulders to support me.

"Are you okay?" Raphael asks anxiously.

"I'm fine," I answer in a hoarse voice with a slight smile on my face. "It's just a scratch." He gives me a worried look before running off to help Ratchet. I feel blood trickling from my left nostril. The blood from my nose drips to the floor and I realize that it's not blood at all. It appears to be some sort of glowing blue liquid. I stare in shock at it, but no one else seems to notice.

"Optimus, it would seem that Agent Fowler has located a new base for us," Ratchet mentions.

"Understood. Input the coordinates and open a ground bridge," Optimus commands. Ratchet does so and another portal opens where the last one closed. With the help of the three humans, I slowly make my way towards it. The transformers follow closely, most carrying equipment from the ship.

We emerge into a hangar with a few raised platforms with desks and some couches in front of a TV. The place seems bare save these few things. Jack and Miko lead me to further into the hangar to avoid getting in the way of the Autobots.

"If you could spare a moment, could your medic take a look at me? I appear to be functioning at full capacity right now," I joke from my place between my two human supports.

"But I know nothing about human medical care!" Ratchet protests while setting down the supplies he was carrying onto a platform. It seems almost like a table next to him.

"Then I'll help you," I face him, annoyed. "I just can't do it myself, and I'd rather a medic patch me up than a soldier. No offense," I add to the others.

"None taken," Bulkhead replies.

"Alright then," he walks towards me and holds out his hand for me to climb into. Jack and Miko let go of my arms to help me into Ratchet's hand. He walks back to his new station and sets me down on his table. I attempt to take off my shirt to find that it's caught on the base of my wings. Ratchet unsheathes the blade in his wrist and cuts the back of the collar with precision. While taking it off fully, I notice that a hole was made in the shirt for my wings. _That would explain why my back was so cold. Thank god my bra is still intact,_I sigh. My eyes wander around at other Autobots and see that they have gone to their own places within the new base. "There seems to be a swelling and discoloration of some-sort around your Cybertronian arm and the holes in your torso." I am then pulled back to the matter of my mangled body. I look toward my exposed shoulder and down the right side of my body. It seems that Shockwave had completely replaced my right shoulder with Cybertronian parts and my skin was attempting to heal over it.

"It's an infection," I explain, "It's when the cells that make up my body attempt to reject outside bacteria. It seems Shockwave either wasn't aware of the need for disinfectants or didn't care. Do you have anything you could clean it with?"

"I don't have any organic compounds to treat it with if that's what you're asking."

"Water or rubbing alcohol will do for now. You have to at least have that."

"We might. Miko, do we have any water or alcohol?" Ratchet inquires as he turns towards the humans who are conversing with the other Autobots about their victory. She pauses mid-sentence and turns around.

"Isn't she underage? If she wants something to drink, we have soda! Does that help?" she answers cheerfully. I face-palm and begin to giggle softly at her misconception.

"Wait! I have water in my backpack," Rafael pipes up, "I also have a first-aid kit... Bee and I found them while we were on the run." _That would have been helpful to know five minutes ago._

"And I'm grateful for that," I half-grin at him while he reaches into his bag to retrieve the items. After he pulls a water bottle and the first-aid kit from his backpack, he runs over and hands them to Ratchet who lifts them up for me to grab them. "This is perfect! It should have what we need to clean my wounds," I peer down from the table at him, "thank you." He smiles back at me and runs back to the others. I turn back towards the kit and open the box to find hydrogen peroxide, adhesive strips, and other things found in a standard first aid. I sit down, remove the antiseptic before realizing that there's nothing to apply it with, though._Never fear, mostly torn-up shirt is here!_ I think before ripping off the extra fabric of one of my sleeves.I tear it open into a flat piece with my teeth and hand before dousing it in hydrogen peroxide. When I touch it to my shoulder, I wince at the stinging sensation it gives me as the wounds fizz and turn white. A few yelps escape me as I move over the gashes in my torso with the cloth. When I am finished with my front, I add some more and hold it out for Ratchet. "I can't reach my back. Could you lightly dab this onto the discolored sections of my skin?" Ratchet reaches for his version of tweezers and plucks the cloth from my hand. When he begins, I wince and clench my fists. It feels like someone's laid me on a searing stove top. He seems to notice, because he pauses.

"If it's too much for you, I can stop," he offers.

"No, it's fine. I can handle it. Let's just do this quick," I answer wearily, "and get this over with." He then resumes dabbing my back with the antiseptic around my shoulder and the base of my wings. I only allow myself to wince and let no sound escape my throat during the process.

After he finishes, I request for the cloth, brace myself, and press my face into the cloth. The pain is as if someone was stabbing my face with a thousand needles. "Could you take a look at my Cybertronian parts before we wrap this up?" I ask.

"Sure," he replies. It's then he notices the blue liquid still dripping from my nostril. "Impossible!" he exclaims. "You're bleeding energon!" I reach to dab the liquid off of my upper lip and stare at the strange substance that now covers my fingertips.

"Is that what this is?" I ask. "Shockwave kept injecting me with this stuff but I was never really sure what it was."

"It's the blood of Primus, the first transformer. It's what keeps us Cybertronians alive."

"I see..." He then continues to examine my arm. When he spots some gashes in the metal, he simply uses a welding torch to seal them and tells me that they should heal fully on their own.

When the process is over, I reach for the gauze and adhesive strips. "I'll hold one end of this on my shoulder. Can you wrap the rest around it and my torso? It goes like this," I explain as I wrap it a few times around my human arm for demonstration. Then release it and hand the other end to Ratchet's tweezers. He quickly and carefully wraps my torso, shoulder, and base of my wings in the gauze and gives the other end back to me. I then tuck it into one of the folds of bandage. "There, the gauze should give my torso support as well as protect my shoulder from any future infections until it heals. Not bad for a first timer at human first aid. Thanks Ratchet!"

"You are most welcome, Isabelle," he smiles back at me, obviously pleased with his success. My stomach lets out a giant growl and I glance at it and realize that I haven't eaten actual food in months. I look up at Ratchet with a nervous smile on my face.

"I'm sorry to ask more of you, Doc, but is there any way that I could get some food?"

"Maybe Agent Fowler could bring some here. I could contact him," he replies. "And my name is not Doc! Primus, it's like meeting Wheeljack all over again," he mutters before turning to his panels and pressing a few buttons. A picture of an African American man pops up on the screen and the sound of a phone ringing can be heard.

"Hello?" a voice asks through the computer.

"Agent Fowler, I would like to request some...food," Ratchet replies.

"Food? Ratchet, I just got back to the runway. Who in Sam Hill needs food?" Ratchet gives me an unsure look as if his didn't know whether I should be revealed or not.

"I do," I speak up. "Hello, Agent Fowler. My name is Isabelle and I haven't eaten in a while, so if you are able to bring some food for me, that would be great."

Taken aback, he responds, "Alright, Isabelle, just give me at least a half-hour."

"Thank you, Agent Fowler," I finish as he hangs up. "Well, now that that's been taken care of, there's nothing left to do but rest and allow my wounds to heal. Should take at least a couple of days. Would I be in the way if I rest here?" I ask while I put what's left of my shirt back on.

"I'm afraid you would. Why don't you find a more comfortable place to rest?"

"You could use one of the couches!" Miko hollers. Ratchet gives me a nod and returns to setting up his new laboratory in the base.

Bumblebee looks up from the conversation and walks over to me to offer to carry me to the platform. I gratefully accept and grab the water bottle before am carried to the trio of yellow couches. He sets me down right next to them. I carefully lay myself on the couch and close my eyes. The pain in my body and mind subside as I drift into unconsciousness.

I awaken to the same darkened lab in the Decepticon fortress. "Again," the ominous voice of Shockwave sounds from behind me. Before I realize what he meant, a huge pulse of electricity emits from my shackles into my body. I scream in agony as my body starts to convulse while the shock continues to electrify me. It feels like someone threw me into a power grid and turned everything on. After, what seems like hours, the electricity ceases and I hear Shockwave again, "It would be most logical for you to simply transform in place of resisting my efforts." I furiously stare at the floor.

"I've already told you, I have no idea how!" I snarl at him. The electricity turns back on without warning. My screams echo through the room for what seems like an eternity.


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Prime! What are you doing getting more kids..." Fowler stops short when he spots me. My eyes flash open to this rude awakening before I abruptly sit up on the couch. It takes a moment for me to realize the beads of sweat on my arms and face. _I must have been sweating in my sleep. I hope I didn't have any outbursts._

I glance over at Fowler to see the same face that had appeared on the screen before when we called him. He is followed by a woman who closely resembles Jack.

"Hello," I greet them curtly. They silently stare at me in shock.

"What in Uncle Sam's beard happened to you?" Fowler demands.

Reluctant to repeat the same story, I look away and simply answer, "Many things happened to me."

"The 'Cons happened to her, that's what," Wheeljack backs me up.

"Come again?" Fowler asks, confused.

"Isabelle was found by the Decepticons after they demolished the old Autobot base. They conducted experiments on her until we destroyed their fortress and she escaped," Optimus explains. Fowler stands in awe for a second then regains his composure and holds out a doggy bag he had brought with him.

"Well, I brought take out if that's fine. Drove all the way to the next town to pick it up, so it might be a little cold." I stand up and stagger, less painfully than before, over to where he's standing. I take the bag and smell the contents inside.

"This is great, thanks," I thank him before moving back to the couch. I unpack the Styrofoam box and open it to find fried rice. My mouth waters and I grab the plastic fork from the bag and begin to devour the rice ravenously. The entire box of fried rice is gone in about three minutes.

"I don't think she liked it," Arcee comments dryly.

"No, I didn't. I couldn't even take one bite, it was so disgusting," I counter in the same tone with a grin on my face. Suddenly, I lurch forward and cover my mouth with my hand until it passes. "I shouldn't have eaten it so fast," I gag before sighing with relief, "Thank God I didn't puke."

"Miss Darby, I was wondering if you could take a look at her. I attempted first aid, but I feel that you might still want to assess the damage," Ratchet turns around from his panel to address the woman. She shakes herself out of her trance and glances at him then back at me.

"Of course," she answers before moving to the couch I'm sitting on. The others resume in their conversation about why I was brought here. Ignoring them, I remove my shirt again to show the woman my bandages. She carefully begins to unwrap them in silence.

"Are you Jack's mom?" I inquire. "You two seem to resemble each other." She pauses for a moment before continuing her unwrapping.

"Yes, I am. You can call me June," June finishes before taking the last of the bandages off.

"It's pretty bad, isn't it?" I wince at the exposure of my grotesque wounds.

"I've seen worse," she smiles slightly.

"I doubt it," I retort teasingly. She examines each of my wounds individually.

"These were pretty bad infections," June comments. "I assume you've cleaned them?"

"Yep," I reply. "I would think that I need an antibiotic to help me fight off the infection, though?"

"Actually, no. At this rate, your body's healing a lot quicker than a normal one. To be honest, a normal human wouldn't be able to survive what you seem to have gone through." She carefully rewraps my torso and shoulder and leaves me to talk to her son. _What does that make me if I'm not normal?_

Agent Fowler later holds a ceremony to thank the Autobots for their "selfless heroism in defense of this planet". _How long have they been here?_ I wonder while I watch from a distance.

A few slow days pass by, and I realize how little there is to do in the base besides watch TV and ponder in my thoughts while the Autobots leave on missions frequently.


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"I'm still not getting this," Smokescreen complains to me. "Why would Shockwave give you the ability to change into a Predacon? I mean-you're a human."

"I've been thinking about that, actually," I reply, "I think they intended to break me so that, eventually, they could use me against you. After all, they are intent on taking over this planet. Why not use the natives to your advantage if you have the ability to turn them into weapons?"

"I guess that would make sense... So can you transform that arm of yours, or what?" Smokescreen asks pointing at it. I look down on my cybernetic arm and examine it more closely.

"To be honest, I really don't know. I mean, I've never tried. I wouldn't suppose you guys could explain to me how. You've probably been doing it ever since you can remember."

"I could try," Wheeljack offers. "It feels as natural as moving your arm, really. You'll probably need to know how to do that too, but we should probably go somewhere else. Doc might get upset if we break something." Ratchet glances up from his work to shoot him a stern look.

"Yeah, he might need some of the instruments in here," I add with a sly grin. Bulkhead lets out a chuckle.

"I like this kid already!" he exclaims. Wheeljack gives me a smile just as smug as mine.

"We'll take the ship," he motions toward a craft that appears minuscule against what I've seen of the Decepticon war ship.

"Not without supervision, you're not," Ultra Magnus steps forward, "Besides, if she transforms, you will require backup." My smile dissolves as I remember how much these Autobots distrust me. I can also tell that this guy is, for lack of a better word, a total stiff. Wheeljack's expression also changes from a look of determination to a look of irritation.

Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack, and I pile into the ship and head for a suitable place to practice shooting. I sit in the back and silently watch the backs of the chairs in the cockpit. The entire ten minute flight is completely, and awkwardly, silent.

When we land and the platform lowers, I stroll out not expecting what waits for me outside the ship. We're sitting in the middle of a field surrounded by tall pine trees near the base of a giant mountain. A waterfall can be heard crashing from a height nearby. Peace and serenity interlace the scene and cause me to fall into a drowsy state for a moment.

"Hey, kid, you ready?" Wheeljack asks me from behind, jerking me out of my trance.

"Not yet. Mind if I wash up in that waterfall nearby before we start?" I request. "I am kind of dirty after a few months of torture."

"Sure. I'll have to come with you, though. Prime's orders," Wheeljack replies. My eyes narrow in annoyance, but I say nothing as I stroll in the direction the sound of the waterfall comes from. _At least Magnus didn't insist on coming too._ Wheeljack follows me until we reach a pond backed against the rock face that drains into a narrow bubbling river. Into the pond, a steady waterfall pours down from the great height of the rock face. I walk to the water's edge and peer into the reflection it makes. When I see my own face, I jolt backwards with my hand over my mouth in shock. Slowly, I stagger to the water again and look once more at my own image. My face is deformed beyond recognition. Most of my face seems to be there, but Shockwave had taken a portion of my face out and replaced it with metal. It seems to run from the top of my forehead to a line at the left edge of the bridge of my nose to the edge of my face. My fingers gingerly touch the metal part for the first time. _Now that I think about it, I knew there was metal on my face; I just didn't know it was this much._

"Now I know what everyone was staring at. He could have at least left me my good side."

"C'mon, it's not that bad."

"It is, actually. It's like a brand stating that I'm neither Cybertronian, nor human," I reply with a little venom in my tone. "I wouldn't imagine that you know what it feels like, getting caught between species. Neither one wants you; they just wish that you never came into existence. It wasn't my decision for this to happen; I never wanted any of this..."

"You're right, I _don't_ know what it's like," Wheeljack admits, "but I have a pretty good guess. And when it comes down to it, what happens to you doesn't make you who you are." I gratefully give him a meager smile, and then stand to approach the waterfall.

"Can I ask you something, Wheeljack?" I ask while hopping from boulder to boulder.

"Ugh…ok," he responds hesitantly as he closely follows, easily scaling the rocks near the base of the waterfall.

"What were your first thoughts when you saw me as a Predacon?"

"Oh, scrap; another one," he replies. A huge grin spreads across my face.

"Really?!" I laugh.

"Well what were you thinking when you saw me?"

"I wasn't really. I kinda just recognized you as soon as I got close enough. That's why I didn't attack," I reply. "Thanks for that sword to the shoulder, by the way." I remove my hairband and stick my head underneath for a few moments before whipping my head back to get my hair out of my face.

"Well," I gasp, "that was refreshing."

When we return, I look at Ultra Magnus to see that he has been staying back by the ship, and is now watching me intently. Determined, I turn back to Wheeljack and give him a confident nod. "Alright. First, you've gotta understand that your arm won't transform until you actually acknowledge it as a part of your body. I've noticed you don't use it at all." My eyes meet the ground while I hesitate. _I haven't using it at all, have I?_

"Sorry, it's just...it doesn't feel right," I explain.

"It's fine. I can't exactly say I know how you feel about that, but try to put some feeling into it."

"Okay." I close my eyes and attempt to reach into the cybernetic limb that sits in the place of my arm. The robotic fist clenches and I open my eyes to see that my efforts were successful. Wheeljack grins.

"Now we're gettin somewhere! Now, to transform it, you gotta identify each individual part of your arm. Then, once you do, it'll be as easy as waving your hand."

"Well, it didn't take me very long to figure out how to that," I raise an eyebrow teasingly at him, "so how hard could this be? Feeling less certain than I try to sound, I close my eyes once more. At first, all I can identify are the functions of a normal arm. Then, after a few moments of searching, I realize that my arm has many more functions than I first thought. I also find a feeling; a feeling foreign to me. I quickly grasp it and pull it to the surface. I open my one of my eyes to see that my arm is slowly shifting into something else. When it finally finishes, my forearm had transformed into the front end of a sniper rifle. Astonished, I open both of my eyes and take a step back before I glance up to see Wheeljack grinning even wider than before.

"Alright! Let's get to shooting! I assume since you mentioned testing guns with your old man, you know how to aim a gun. I don't know how to explain actually shooting to you, though."

"I'll figure it out," I assure him. "I'll aim at that boulder over there." I point to a black rock on the base of the mountain a couple hundred feet away. Wheeljack gives me a skeptical look but says nothing. I set the sights on the boulder, clutching my arm, and try to visualize myself pulling a trigger. The rifle fires and I slide back a few feet. I glance at the rock to see that I had missed by a long shot. Wheeljack opens his mouth to say something, but I hold up my hand to stop him. _You're leaning into it too much,_my father's words echo in my ears. I take a deep breath, straighten my stance, and set my sights on the black boulder once more. Instead of closing my eyes, I squint to focus on my target. I let go of my robotic arm, and hold it straight. My cybernetic eye seems to be wired to the sights somehow, because it looks like I'm peering down the scope of a sniper rifle. Again, I visualize myself pulling the trigger.

The boulder explodes with the force of the bullet's impact. A smile crosses my face as I glance up at Wheeljack. He grins right back at me. "I think I'll try a few more," I state as I look for more small boulders to shoot. I spot a few similar rocks nearby and hit each of them with the same precision as the first. "What if I tried to shoot while looking away, but also looking through my Cybertronian eye?" I wonder aloud.

"Actually, I think it would be more beneficial to gain progress in controlling your Predacon transformation," Ultra Magnus suggests from where he stands behind us. "From what I could gather from the others, your initial transformation was based entirely upon rage."

"How would you know that?" I give him a suspicious look while attempting to transform my arm back into a hand.

"You did blast a gigantic hole in the wall of the Darkmount, for one, dive onto Shockwave before almost terminating him, and take out an entire squad of Decepticons right before you turned back into a human and broke down-"

"Thanks for the recap, lieutenant," I interrupt him scathingly as I succeed in turning my gun into a hand once more. Ultra Magnus looks taken aback, but quickly regains his composure as if I hadn't said anything.

"You must not let your emotions control your transformation. If you do so, you will become blind to what you do when in the form of a Predacon. Attempt to transform without emotion. Focus on the action, not the reason behind it." I flash an irritated look at him, but move away to do as he commanded. I breathe deeply and listen to the peaceful sounds of the nature around me. In my mind I search for the same feeling that allowed me to transform my arm. I stand meditating for almost fifteen minutes before it finally clicks. My eyes flash open and the steel encases me once more. I feel my limbs extend into larger, stronger ones. The vision I now possess feels foreign, but I know it's my own. For the first time, I am aware of the total control I have assumed over this colossal body. My eyes meet Wheeljack and Magnus' and I notice the slight fear in their glowing eyes. To assure them that I have control over myself, I assume a submissive position by lying on my stomach with my wings folded. Wheeljack relaxes and begins to approach me, but Ultra Magnus stops him. "She may be unstable." I growl at him in response and Wheeljack chuckles.

"I think that's her way of saying that she isn't," he retorts. As he approaches me, I lower my head to meet his eyes. I give him a nod in thanks for believing in me then point my snout towards the sky. "You sure you wanna test your wings so soon?" he questions. I give another nod of certainty. Without another warning, I extend my wings and launch myself into the air. My wings instinctually begin to beat in unison and I soar higher and higher above the tree tops. This feeling, absolute freedom, it causes another feeling to arise; a feeling I haven't felt in what seems like a long time, pure freedom.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I manage to stick the landing right outside of the hanger where the base is located. Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus aren't far behind. They land the ship right next to me and I watch them exit without transforming back. _I'll prove to them that I can control myself in this form._Both of them give me a nod in understanding before we enter the base. With my wings folded, I follow them in to see the startled faces of all but one. Optimus seems a little surprised, but not alarmed in any way. Irritated with the rest of them, I snort and sit where I am standing in front of the now closed hangar door. Thick silence lies over the room as we stare at each other.

"Why are you guys so nervous? She's behaving just fine!" Miko points out. Bulkhead shakes himself out of his trance and gives me an apologetic look.

"Sorry, Isabelle. It's just that we're so used to fighting monsters like you," he confesses. "Wait-that came out wrong-" I transform back into a human while approaching him.

"No, you all have every right to be nervous in the presence of the beast Shockwave made of me," I assure him. "I just needed to prove to you that I have gained full control over my transformations."

"You could say it was a mission accomplished," Wheeljack jests. I turn around and grin at him.

"I guess you could say that it was a success. Thanks...both of you."

"No problem, kid," he grins back at me. Ultra Magnus gives me a slight nod in response and opens the hanger door to return to his ship.

"So what're you gonna do now that you've got control over your other form?" Jack asks me.

"She's going to rest until the remainders of her wounds heal, that's what she's going to do!" Ratchet exclaims. I let out an exaggerated sigh and beat my wings in pursuit to take flight. As soon as I hover a few feet from the ground, I give a powerful push with my wings to set me in the direction of Ratchet. My wings flatten to allow me to glide to his station. I land on one of the counters and look up at him with a sincere expression.

"I appreciate your concern, Ratchet, I really do. And you being a medic, I shouldn't object to your...advisement. There's just nothing to do around here..." My eyes wander as I trail off. "I have been curious about your home planet Cybertron... Maybe you could teach me about it?" I glance back at him hopefully.

"Why would you want to know about that?"

"Many reasons. One of them being that almost half of me is sort of Cybertronian, even if it is synthetic." From the down casting of his eyes, I can tell that he holds many painful memories regarding his home world. "I'm sorry," I quickly withdraw. "If it brings back too many memories, you don't have to..." In response, he casts his gaze upon me with such helplessness, that I flutter up to his shoulder. The memories of my isolated childhood suddenly pop into my mind. _Seems that we've all felt pain one way or another._ I unintentionally place my Cybertronian had on his large metal face.

Suddenly, I lose my ability to move and all I can see are the flashing of images before my eyes while memories flow into me. I am only able to discern a few from the plethora of images flowing into my mind. War raging, desperation running through my mind as I try to save the next mangled soldier lain before me. Then, I see the core of Cybertron speaking to Optimus, telling him that it is dying, because Megatron infused dark energon into it in attempt to control it. The scene changes and despair overtakes me as I watch the planet's life ebb away while the cargo hauler I pilot filled with countless sparks on board flies farther and farther away towards a portal leading to Primus knows where. Then I am on Earth witnessing the spark of Cliffjumper fade offline.

The images fade and I am left kneeling on Ratchet's shoulder, shocked and pained expressions on both of our faces. "I'm sorry," I barely whisper, "I'm so, so sorry." My head hangs and my eyes close. All I can manage after what I've seen is, "I'm sorry." My shoulders begin to shutter with each shaky breath I take. His massive hand gently picks me up by the wings and sits me in the other.

"Don't be." I open my eyes and look up to see pity emitting from his expression.

"All of those lives, lost. An entire planet, gone. All of this suffering... You've all been through so much... And you were here in search of sanctuary; now that's gone too. There has to be an end to this cycle of oppression." Tears fall from my eye as I fall on my side and weep until I begin feel slumber some. Through the thin veil of drowsiness, I can hear Ratchet talking to the others.

"What just happened?" Arcee asks.

"I believe she made a connection much like the interrogation method of the Decepticons, only, I think she unintentionally shared her painful memories with me," he sighs, "She was always an outcast throughout her life. Her parents were apart for as long as she can remember before her mother passed away. Many of her close relatives are now either dead or dying. And just as things were beginning to get better for her, this happened." I fall deeper into unconsciousness and the last thing I feel is Ratchet delicately placing me on a soft surface.

My eyes flash open to the same repeating nightmare I've had since my escape from the Darkmount. Knowing that my response to Shockwave wouldn't change the outcome, I wordlessly endure the shocks sent through my body. I fail to stop my screams from rebounding off of the walls, though.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Ratchet, open a ground bridge," Optimus commands. I abruptly wake on the couch and sit up to stretch, trying to dispel my nightmares, as the Autobots exit the base though the portal. Ratchet, Miko, Raphael, Jack, and I are the only ones left in the base.

"I have _got_to stop passing out like that," I yawn and peer around the base. "Where's everyone else?"

"Everyone else is on a mission," Ratchet answers without looking away from his screen. His response sounds causal enough that I don't feel worried for them at all. I turn to Miko who's standing next to me with a bag of fabrics in her hands.

"What's that?" I ask.

"Ratchet mentioned that you were into costume design, and you look like you could use some new clothes and something to do, so I went into town with Bulkhead and grabbed some supplies you might need to make yourself some," she replies cheerfully as she hands me the large bag. "I can get you some pants and shoes, but you're gonna have to do the shirt part-with your wings and all." I glance inside and find all of the necessary items to make myself new attire. On one of the desks, I see that someone has also obtained a sewing machine that looks fairly used.

"Agent Fowler brought that," she mentions, pointing her thumb towards it.

"Wow, this is great! Thanks for going out of your way to do this, Miko!" I beam at her thankfully.

"No problem! I was pretty bored anyway, so no big deal," she answers nonchalantly.

"Well I guess I should get to work on this."

After many hours of work, I examine my new clothes that I have made. There is a leather corset with straps connected to a long flowing sleeve that drapes over my left shoulder. Around my waist, I will have a belt with tails, like the ones from a coat, lining the back. While I was making these, Miko had also brought some boots that seem similar to hers, but are accented in blue-green and gray.

I search the base for a place to change while I gather my new clothes in my arms. The others have come back from their most recent mission, so there seems to be no possible area for me to get some privacy. _Wait, what about the ship?_ I walk over to Ultra Magnus, "Mind if I use the ship for a second?"

"What would you be needing it for?" he asks, confused. I roll my eyes_. I'm going to have to explain this, aren't I?_

"We humans have this thing called modesty. It's where we don't like other beings witnessing when we are not fully clothed," I explain, "Seeing that your ship is the only place I could possibly gain some privacy, I feel the need to use it as a place to change out of the rags I wear now."

He gives me a look of impression. "It seems that there is more and more to learn about your kind. Very well." Ultra Magnus walks with me to the lowered platform and pushes a few buttons to cause it to rise. "Let me know when you're done in there, and don't touch anything," he finishes before the door seals beneath me.

_Alrighty then, I'll just go over here._I flutter over to the back of the chairs in the cockpit. I first remove what is left of my shirt. The bandages are the next things to come off. Before I remove them, I run my fingers over the grooves in the skin of my shoulder where metal shows. Realizing I am completely alone, a song pops into my head and I begin to sing,

_I don't remember the moment I tried to forget,_

_And I lost myself._

_Is it better not said?_

_Now I'm closer to the edge._

_It was a thousand to one and a million to two._

_Time to go down in flames_

_And I'm taking you closer to the edge._

_No, I'm not sayin', I'm tiring._

_One day, maybe we'll make it._

_No, I'm not sayin', I'm tiring._

_One day, maybe we'll make it._

I reach to take my bandages off, but freeze when I hear a voice behind me.

"Hey kid, what're you doing in here?" Wheeljack inquires.

"Wheeljack!" I shout after whipping around in surprise. "I could ask the same of you! Does Ultra Magnus know you're in here?

"He might," he gives me a sly grin; "he might not." My hand meets my face in frustration.

"Look, I was just changing into some clothes I really want to try on. Could I _please_ have some privacy?" I plead.

"Okay, okay," he holds his hands up as if he means no offense in being here. "I'll just be in the back 'not touching the weapons'." He makes air quotations with his upheld hands before leaving. I let out a sigh before I resume modifying my apparel.

A few minutes later, I have slipped into my new clothes. They seem to be fitting me perfectly. "Because I'm just that good," I state as I examine my new outfit. While I do so, I can hear Wheeljack forgetting his fetish to see what I'm talking about.

"Whoa," he gapes at me. "I'm no expert in human culture, but that getup looks great on you..." I stare at him for a moment, my eyes wide and eyebrows knit. "What?" he demands. Then, I let out a hurricane of laughter. "What's so funny?" Wheeljack frowns. I am doubled-over gasping for breath between bursts of laughter.

"Did you just hear yourself?" I chortle while I pick up my tattered jeans and bandages. "'That getup looks great on you'. Thanks, but..." I burst into laughter again, then gasp for another breath, "Wow, you've changed so much since you've come to Earth, Wheeljack." My feet carry me to the platform while I continue to giggle, "Please stop." Wheeljack's frown turns to a smirk as he follows me. "If you're wondering how I know how much you've changed, don't think for a _second_ that you aren't a painful memory of Ratchet's."

"I would've never guessed," Wheeljack gives me a smug look. Suddenly, a sharp pain emerges from my side. My knees buckle, but instead of hitting the ground, I feel a giant hand catch my back. I look up to see that Wheeljack is supporting me with a concerned look on his face. "Don't go blackin' out on me," he chastises.

"I'm fine," I reassure him as I grasp my side with one arm and push myself back to my feet with the other. "That's what I get for straining my ribs like that," I smile at him weakly.

"What'd they do to you, kid?" he inquires.

"Not much worse than what they probably put you through," I answer. Wheeljack raises an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Tests of endurance mostly," I correct myself, "They used different methods of testing how much my body could take with the implants they installed in me."

"And by 'they', you mean old One-Eye –Shockwave." My smile turns to a grimace, and Wheeljack's eyes widen as he quickly realizes his mistake. "Sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I assure him, "I just hate that name, and everything to do with it. Ever since I escaped from Darkmount, my only reason for living is to make sure my history with the Decepticons doesn't repeat itself – ever again."

"Just make sure once that's done, you find another reason," Wheeljack replies. He strolls away and stops right next to the panel to lower the platform. My expression changes to a slight smile when I realize the meaning behind his words.

"Oh and by the way, I didn't see you in here," I mention before he presses the button to lower me out of the ship.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

I stand next to Jack and Miko on one of the catwalks, my fingers rigorously tapping on the rails to a fast beat in my head. We watch Ratchet and Raphael open a ground bridge to bring Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack back from the former base. Ultra Magnus drives through first and Bumblebee unloads a small crate off of his back before he transforms into robot form.

"We didn't find much else in the rubble of the former base," he reports. Wheeljack follows behind with a giant ball of scrap metal in his hand.

"You call this," he holds it higher, "not much else?" Wheeljack proceeds to hurl it at Bulkhead. It bounces off of Bulkhead's chest and flies straight towards us. My eyes widen in surprise, and I dive out of the way. Jack grabs Miko's arm and pulls her in the opposite direction before the metal ball lands between us making a large crater in the wall. Everyone furiously turns to Wheeljack.

"Wheeljack!" Ratchet exclaims, "You could have caused serious damage!"

"To me!" Miko pipes up. The door in the wall behind the hunk of metal opens and Agent Fowler's voice can barely be heard from behind it.

"A little help here?" He hollers.

"What were you thinking, soldier?" Magnus demands.

"I was thinking Bulk could catch that lob," Wheeljack responds with an innocent smile on his face.

"Allow me to make myself clear..." Ultra Magnus begins. I turn to the object that is currently trapping Fowler in his office. _How to move this..._I stand for a minute thinking. _There's no harm in trying to just pull it._I place both of my hands on a piece of metal jutting out from the rest and grasp it tightly. In the process of pulling it, my human arm begins to give out, but my Cybertronian arm keeps pulling without fail. Suddenly, my human arm lets go and the other arm pulls the scrap metal away from the door with surprising ease. Fowler emerges from the crushed doorway looking very annoyed.

"If my ship weren't a twisted wreck at present, I'd do that, sir," Wheeljack finishes. I look just in time to see him storm away. Ultra Magnus lets out a slight sigh.

"So, any word from Optimus?" He inquires Ratchet. Bulkhead looks after Wheeljack with a concerned look on his face. I meet his eyes and make a gesture towards Wheeljack_._He gives me a nod and I release the scrap metal and silently glide in the direction Wheeljack stopped off. After losing his trail, I decide to land and transform to use my Predacon senses. I end-up finding him outside, staring at the horizon.

"You here to chew me out?" He questions venomously. I sit beside him and transform back into a human.

"No," I answer simply. "I too enjoy staring at a line between the earth and sky...when I'm pouting."

"I'm not pouting," Wheeljack grumbles.

"I never said that you were." Silence hangs in the air for a moment as we both continue to focus on the horizon.

"So why _are_ you out here?"

"To tell you a story."

"Oh, great."

"C'mon, it's got life lessons relevant to the current situation and all that other great stuff!" I jest at him with my arms held out slightly, the palms of my hands facing up. Wheeljack lets out an irritated sigh.

"In that case, maestro, narrate away." Ignoring his remark, I recount the events of the story in my head before starting.

"In my freshman year in high school, I decided to take up a sport called water polo. It's a really hard sport, harder than a lot of people think it is. I'll have to show you some clips sometime. Anyway, we would practice passing the ball to each other, but for a specific pass, I just couldn't get it right. My coach would glare at me every time and say, 'What was that? Was that a good pass? Get your arms up and actually try to do it, Isabelle'. Sometimes she'd even order me to get out of the pool and do push-ups as a punishment for 'not trying'. I didn't object, though. I simply looked her square in the eye and said, 'okay coach'."

"You've turned soft too, huh?"

"No, Wheeljack, I've just matured. I forced myself to look at the situation through my coach's point of view. She wasn't doing those things out of spite. She was doing them to help me remember the points she tried to get across. And she didn't make the rules simply to make us -my team- miserable. She enforced the rules lain out before all of us to help us improve.

"I didn't turn soft; I realized that if I didn't allow myself to listen to her, I would never get better. That wouldn't have just affected me. It would have affected my teammates as well. They too would suffer if I had decided that my own decisions were sounder than my superiors'. There is always an inarguable reason that you are inferior to those above you in rank. In a way, my coach is kind of like Ultra Magnus; he's just trying to help in his own way."

"I'll consider that," Wheeljack replies without looking away from the horizon. I sigh and rise to my feet to look up at his face.

"I don't care whether you decide to listen or not, but please...just don't leave. I know you want to now that Magnus is back, but please...just don't. You know it would break Bulkhead's heart. And, to put it bluntly, the Autobots need everyone together. One player can be the difference between victory and defeat. In my experiences, my team was a water polo team, yours is the Autobots," I finish before walking back towards the hangar door. Before entering, I glance back to see that Wheeljack hasn't moved at all. I sigh once more before opening the door and entering the base. As the door closes behind me, I hear the sounds of Optimus returning from his quest to find energon. When I find them, I see that Optimus has placed a fossil of some sort on the table.

"It cannot be!" Ratchet protests before stepping forward to look closer. The others gather around the table to see the fossil lain upon it.

"Be what?" Jack asks.

"The ancient remains...of a Predacon," Optimus answers. Curious, I fly to where the skull sits and examine the terrifying face.

"Though it remains unclear why such a skull would be found on your planet, its presence reveals all too much about the Predacon which Megatron recently sent in pursuit of us," Ratchet states. Miko, Raphael, and Jack climb onto the table to join me. I turn around to see that Wheeljack wasn't far behind me in entering the base.

"You mean that dragon-bot we put on ice?" Miko chimes in.

"Except, that Predacons have been extinct since-well..."

"Since before most life began on Cybertron," Smokescreen finishes.

"They're like Earth's dinosaurs!" Raphael proclaims.

"Which means, for you guys, running into one would be like us meeting a T-Rex," Jack adds.

"So, then what were Dinobots?" Miko asks.

"Totally different," Bulkhead explains.

Suddenly, a sharp pain emits from between my eyes as the same images that I saw in the Decepticon storage room appear in my mind. My eyes widen in surprise and fear before I fall to my hands and knees staring at the ground in horror, my body shuddering with each breath I take. I notice that beads of sweat have surfaced on the human half of my face.

"Miko, what did you say?" I gasp for breath as I rise off of my hands and sit back on my knees.

"Dinobots?" She repeats confusingly. "Are you ok?"

"Grimlock's team," I begin to rant without knowing while the memories flash before my eyes once more, "They were Autobot soldiers who were held prisoners by Shockwave. He mutated them to look like dinosaurs he had found on Earth. They escaped and contacted you, but Grimlock went back to the Sea of Rust to terminate Shockwave, and died in the explosion of the tower that created the worm hole used to escape Cybertron. Shockwave came back to find only Grimlock's sword. The rest of the Dinobots..." I trail off as the images fade, and I stand up holding my head with my cybernetic hand. "I'm sorry, I just-" I stop short when I feel my other hand grasping something, and look down in surprise to see Grimlock's sword in it. "Just...excuse me..." I trail off before gliding way so that I'm out of sight. _I just need to process this for a minute. Did this thing adapt to my touch? There's no other way it could be small enough for me._Silence engulfs the room before Ratchet speaks up again.

"With Megatron's seeming new interest in the excavation of prehistoric skeletons, and a certain scientist back among the Decepticon ranks..." His voice subsides.

"It would stand to reason that Shockwave cloned the beast from one such find," Optimus reasons.

"And now Megatron's looking to clone another," Ultra Magnus adds.

"What makes you think Bucket-head would stop at just one?" Wheeljack objects.

"We could have beast wars on our hands!" Bulkhead exclaims.

"And if Shockwave only requires a single strand of CNA from which to clone a beast..." Ratchet turns to Optimus.

"He already possesses what he needs to engender this one," he concludes more. "Autobots, we must become beast hunters."

"One thing still doesn't follow," Smokescreen pipes up, "Predacons went extinct on Cybertron, so what would their bones be doing here?"

"I have an idea," I emerge from my hiding spot and take air to land next to the skull, still clutching the sword. "The Decepticons had their eye on this planet since the start of the war for Cybertron. Wouldn't it make sense that while scanning the dinosaurs and insects, they planted a few of their own Predacons to protect the already existing energon? I mean you just said that Shockwave's cloned a Predacon from bones. Who's to say that he hasn't done it before?"

"That would seem the most probable explanation," Ratchet confirms.

"So... You mind telling us where you got that sweet sword?" Smokescreen asks eagerly. I hold it up to examine it and realize that it's a lot lighter than it looks.

"To be honest," I reply, "I didn't know that I had it. I stumbled upon it in a storage room inside the Decepticon base while trying to escape. The memories I just saw, I've seen them before; when I first touched it. After I saw them, the sword had disappeared. I had no idea that I took it. The only question is where did I put it?"

"You took it out of your shoulder just now, while you were hollerin' about Grimlock," Wheejack points out. I glance at my mechanical shoulder before moving my new sword into the base of my arm. The blade sheathes and the hilt turns back into one of the spines on my shoulder.

"Interesting..."


	9. Chapter 8

**Note:** Sorry for the delay! I was going to make this two separate chapters but ended up merging them into one. Enjoy! Also, apparently some people were having difficulties viewing this. I've attempted to re-submit the documents and re-upload, so I hope this works!

**Chapter 8**

Later that night, I sit silently on the couch next to a sleeping Raphael. Slouching on the couch next to us, Jack and Miko are asleep as well. Ratchet stares at a screen across the base as if he can't figure something out. I feel tired, but something is nagging me in the back of my mind, and it's not letting me fall into the same slumber Raphael seems to be enjoying right now. A few hours pass until it almost seems like morning outside. Optimus approaches Ratchet who continues to stare at the screen. _Jeez, he's gonna burn a hole in that thing if he's not careful. He's been staring at it for hours._

"Synthetic energon?" Optimus guesses.

"Indeed," Ratchet confirms before finally taking his eyes away from the screen to meet Optimus'. "I am concerned that without access to any energon reserves since our base was destroyed; our ability to deal with impending crisis will be severely hampered."

"A wise decision old friend."

"Just, please, manage your expectations. I am working with even more rudimentary hardware than before."

"Prime!" Fowler yells as he enters from his office. "Satellite surveillances pick up two signs of Decepticon activity. One near an oil field outside of El Paso, the other one near the Hebrides Bluffs in Scotland. So don't forget to pack your kilts." The others emerge from the back of the base while Jack, Miko, and Raph wake up.

"We must divide our resources," Optimus decides. "Ultra Magnus, lead the wreckers to the bluffs."

"Yes, Optimus," he replies before leaning in to murmur, "Uh, what's a kilt?" Optimus glances at Fowler and leans to the side, slightly, towards Ultra Magnus with an expression that shows that he's just as confused.

"Agent Fowler can at times be oblique. I find it best to simply nod and mobilize," he explains.

"It's a cultural garment they wear in Scotland," I speak up while I stand and walk to the rail.

"Bulkhead, Wheeljack, let's roll," Ultra Magnus commands.

"You know, I could help now that I can transform," I point out to Optimus.

"Absolutely not!" Ratchet exclaims. "You are still in no condition for combat!" Optimus turns to me with understanding in his eyes.

"I know that you desire to assist, but it is best to do as Ratchet advises and stay out of combat situations." At this, I scowl and look away.

"Yes, sir," I answer obediently.

"Autobots, roll out!" Optimus commands. Miko watches the wreckers follow Ultra Magnus towards his ship for a moment, then suddenly jumps to her feet.

"You guys thirsty? I'll go get some drinks!" She hurries off without waiting for a reply. Jack and Raph shrug and turn on the TV, but I watch Miko run to Wheeljack and ask him something. He shrugs and opens the compartment in his chest and places her inside. I remain silent and continue to watch as he catches up to Bulkhead and Ultra Magnus with Miko inside him. Optimus, Smokescreen, and Bumblebee transform and exit the base through a ground bridge, leaving Jack, Raph, Ratchet, Arcee, and I in the base. I resolve to myself to wait for an opportune time to leave and join Jack and Raph on the couch.

A few minutes pass, and I decide that this is my chance to leave. "I'll go see what's taking those drinks so long," I state as I rise from the couch and walk towards the stairs. Trying not to attract attention, I sneak towards the smaller door to exit the base. Once I'm outside, I silently take flight. My thoughts echo through my head while the wind pushes me away from base. _Ratchet said that they needed energon. Maybe I can help there at least._I begin to scan the horizon while I contemplate this._I can't just sit and do nothing while the rest of them risk their lives again._

I land once I'm about a mile away from the baseand transform into a Predacon before taking flight again. _If I were some forgotten energon, where would I be?_I soar high over the clouds and peer down on the landscape below as I fly further and further away from the base. _I wouldn't be surprised if I already crossed the border into Arizona by now._After what seems like forever, my senses pick up a small deposit of energon in what seems like a man-made, or rather, Decepticon-made tunnel. I dive between the walls of a crevasse and touch ground in the center of a mountain with a gaping hole at the base of the fissure. Cautiously, I crane my neck to scan what I can see of the entrance. My surroundings seem somewhat charred, like an explosion happened here, but a while ago. The coast seems clear, and by the looks of it, has been for some time. Before entering, I part my jaws and let loose a roar into the cave. The sound rebounds off of the cave walls until I hear it bounce through an air pocket in the sedimentary rock. I bound down the tunnel until I reach the approximate location of the unusual item, only to find empty cave wall. _Time to start digging._I raise my front claws and begin to excavate. After a few minutes, I hit the massive air pocket that radiates the same glow as energon. My unearthing quickens to open the hole more, and I gaze at the small abundance of energon shards I have just found. _Either the Decepticons were really sloppy in obtaining all of the energon, or they just didn't care about this small bounty. Either way,_ _I'm going to need some help carrying all of this back._

Before long, I'm flying back in the direction of the base with a few chunks of energon in my tow front claws and a bigger one in my mouth. As soon as I spot it, I make for a landing in front of the hangar door. When I hit the ground, it causes a small quake around the base. I snort with amusement when I hear exclamations coming from inside. I set the energon in my claws down and patiently sit to wait as I listen to the muffled sound of someone approaching the door cautiously from the other side. Arcee opens the door with her weapons drawn.

"Isabelle! What are you doing out here?" She questions before putting her guns away. "And where did you get that energon?" In response I set down the chunk in my mouth and turn around, gesturing for her to get on. She gives me a hesitant look at first, but does so. No sooner than she seats herself, we take flight towards the mine. On the way there, I can feel her grasping my neck so that she doesn't fall off. "You know, despite your intentions, you shouldn't leave base without telling us. There's no way we could know if you're in trouble if you got in any," she speaks up. In response, I sigh understandably._I can take care of myself._

As soon as we land there, Arcee jumps from my back and I lead her into the tunnel and to the energon deposit I located. "I remember this place," she states, "We came here awhile back to find…" I glance back at her when she trails off, my eyes full of cpncern. _…Clifjumper._ Realizing that I stopped next to her, Arcee quickly shakes off her anxiety and looks to the energon. "Did you find this?" She asks. I roll my eyes at her. _Obviously._Arcee smiles slightly at me and raises her hand to the side of her head. "Ratchet? It's Arcee. We're going to need a ground bridge." Suddenly, one opens next to us in the tunnel. I crouch on my stomach and open my wings slightly. Arcee seems to understand, because she begins to load energon shards onto my back. Once my under-wings are packed full, Arcee grabs the few left and we carry them through the ground bridge.

"Where have you been?" Ratchet demands. "You know I told you to stay put." I take a few steps towards him then stop to show him the cargo I bare. "By Primus..." I give a snort of annoyance. _If he's not going to tell me were to set them, I'll just set them here._My wings unfold and the energon spills to the floor. I transform back into a human and take air to rest on his table.

"Jeez, Ratchet, you're starting to sound like my mom. Also, Optimus stated that I was to 'stay out of combat situations'. I didn't disobey those orders at least. I simply found an abandoned energon mine, used echolocation to find an air pocket in one of the tunnel walls and dug it out the old fashioned way. By the way, those Decepticons did a really sloppy job in tunneling that mine out," I ramble. Ratchet picks up one of the larger energon crystals and holds it in his hands.

"Incoming ground bridge request!" Raphael hollers from behind his laptop. "From Scotland." Everyone except Ratchet turns towards the portal as Wheeljack rolls through alone.

"Wheeljack, what happened? Where are the others?" Arcee inquires as she sets her energon on an empty platform.

"Havin' a swell time takin' the long way home in Ultra Magnus' boat, I'm sure. Miko included," Wheeljack responds.

"I wondered what was taking so long with those sodas," Raph commented. Ratchet tears himself away from the energon and questions Wheeljack.

"Did you secure the Predacon bone?"

"The, uh, beast hunt kind of imploded, doc."

"Well, I just caught wind of another 'Con hotspot," Fowler mentions from one of the catwalks. "Right outside of Tahoe New Mexico. Since Prime's unit isn't back from oil country…" Arcee suddenly takes charge.

"Raph, set a bridge for Fowler's coordinates." She turns to Wheeljack. "You, roll with me."

"Not today, alright?" Wheeljack groans.

"If you're alright sending me out there alone," Arcee walks towards the ground bridge.

"Alone's how I prefer to roll."

"Wheeljack, you do not want to make me abandon a complex equation to venture outside my comfort zone."

"Wheeljack, please," I beg with the same pleading look I gave him when we talked. Wheeljack lets out an exaggerated groan.

"Ughhh, fine." He follows Arcee to the portal. "But in case you haven't figured it out..." They both disappear before he finishes, and the ground bridge closes.

"So, in terms of quantity, how much energon did I find exactly? I know it's not as much as you would prefer, but, seriously, how much is this?" I inquire Ratchet after the bridge closes.

"I would know-if it weren't scattered on the floor!" He exclaims.

"Ooh, yeah..." I cringe, "Sorry about that. I still seem to have a little bit of a temper in beast form."

We both forget our conversation when Raphael mentions that he has just found the location of a Predacon fossil. I then notice that Nurse Darby seems to have just arrived. Fowler also seems to have emerged from his office to join us.

"But we're fresh out of beast hunters," Jack points out. Ratchet lets out a long sigh.

"I didn't choose emergency as my vehicle mode for laughs."

"No, he chose it for his impatience with human traffic," I chime in. He narrows his eyes at me, but shows a barely visible grin.

"Not sure you need a bot," Fowler hints while adjusting his tie around his neck.

"Maybe you all should just wait for Optimus," June suggests.

"I'll have you know, Nurse Darby, I was an army ranger and federal agent for Unit E three decades before I even heard the _name_ Optimus Prime," Fowler boasts. "I'm more than equipped to handle a...milk run. In fact, why don't you tag along?"

"That's one way of asking someone out," I mumble.

"What?" Ratchet asks.

"I'll explain later. I just need to know is if you think I'm ready for a 'milk run'." I make air quotations with my hands. "Because, no offense to Fowler, I'm pretty sure army ranger skills won't come in handy if a Decepticon shows up. Plus, I'm guessing we don't want another situation where humans are held hostage like back at the Omega Lock- and all those other times." Ratchet gives me an unsure look, as if he's not certain whether I'm still too injured now that I have proved that I can function fully. "If anything goes wrong, either of them can call you and you can send backup," I mention.

"Oh, alright. But only if you promise not to strain yourself," Ratchet concedes.

"Yes, sir," I respond with a grin on my face. I turn back to the others to see Jack arguing with his mom. She suddenly turns around and begins to walk away.

"C'mon, Agent Fowler," she orders. Jack looks defeated and at a loss for words. I jump off of the table to glide past him after June and Fowler.

"Hey guys, wait up!" I call. They both turn around in surprise. "Ratchet says I'm well enough to help you out on this 'milk run'" I once again make air quotations around the words.

I sit in the car, waiting for them to return from the museum when I spot them strolling through the parking lot, Fowler carrying a wooden crate. _Oh jeez._ I think to myself. _They look like a married couple out on a Sunday stroll._Suddenly, a red muscle car pulls up in front of them. _Oh, no._One of the car's doors transforms into a gun. I restrain myself as I watch the car force them into his trunk. _I can't do anything right now,_ I convince myself,_and things could turn out worse if I try to._As soon as he pulls away, I jump out of the car and take flight after them. I fly low once we are out of the city to keep out of sight as he weaves between the large rock forms. For a moment I manage to get close enough to hear him, but not his hostages.

"Frankly, I find it repulsive; the whole idea of you fleshies...interfacing," he complains. _Is he saying…what I think he's saying?_ I pull away with a disturbed expression and continue to tail them until an opportunity arises for me to make a move on him. We near a train yard and, out of nowhere, the car swerves and stops. I spot June open the passenger door and stumble out carrying the crate. _That's one._Agent Fowler opens the driver's side and sprints out the other side. The car transforms into an arrogant looking robot the same color red as his seeming personality. He takes a few steps after Fowler and scoops him up in his clawed hands. He growls something at Fowler before getting pepper sprayed in the face. Agent Fowler is dropped to the ground while the robot screams, holding his hands to his face. _Bingo!_ My hand transforms into a sniper rifle, and I shoot the top of the spike on his head off as a warning shot. I then add speed while I soar towards the confused robot. My hand instinctually reaches for my sword and I ready it to strike at the now furious Decepticon. The blade drags across his chest, leaving a giant gouge in the paint. He gives a furious snarl, "My finish!" I slow my flight to spin around and hover a few feet away from him. "You!" He gasps pointing at me, "You're Shockwave's experiment!" His shocked expression turns to a smirk as he lowers his hand and crosses his arms. "How's the new body working out for you?"

"Don't think I won't hesitate to rip that smirk of your shiny face!" I growl at him.

"Why, I'm flattered!" he deviously grins at me, "It's not every day you get a compliment from an Autobot."

"I'm not one of them," I counter, "I'm here only because you decided to attempt to hold my friends as prisoners."

"Ha! Friends? Why would they be your friends? You're not even one of them anymore!" He scoffs, "Also, I'd say that you aren't one of the Autobots because they don't trust you. Face it, after what we did; no one will ever call you 'friend' again!"

Furious, I lunge at him, scraping my blade against him while dragging my fingers across his paint. _He seems to value his paint job more than his life,_I figure while darting around his attempts to swat me away, _which is exactly why I'm taking that away first._ As I finish ruining his paint, I swoop around his arm to land on his shoulders and position my sword to plunge it into his head. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot Fowler and June. I look up to see both of them gaping at me with wide eyes. This causes me to falter in my execution. _What am I doing? I'll be proving him right if I do this… I'm more than the monster I've become._ The robot sees my hesitation and takes the opportunity to swat me off of him. His hand hits me with such force; I fall to the ground near his feet, stunned. "I'd love to stay and chat," he jests with a furious undertone, "but I have a Predacon bone to retrieve." He holds his foot over me as if to squash me like a pesky bug. I quickly grab my sword and roll onto my back to hold it vertical in front of my chest. Without noticing this he steps onto the blade and quickly retracts is foot. The red robot gives me an enraged look, but decides that I'm not worth the trouble. My vision blurs as he walks away to search for June and Fowler. My head begins to ache and spin forcing me to close my eyes for a moment in attempt to force it to fade. When I open my eyes, I witness the robot transform back into a car with both humans inside. He then speeds after a train that has just departed. I stagger to my feet as the throbbing pain in my head subsides. The sounds of vehicles approaching me from behind grow louder and I spin around to see Wheeljack and Arcee speeding towards me.

"Where'd they go, kid?" Wheeljack asks me without transforming. I shake my head to clear it fully before responding.

"Follow me," I reply before transforming and taking flight down the railroad tracks.

We quickly catch up to them in the middle of a canyon right as he nears the train. My upper lip rises at the sight of the red car. Out of nowhere, a ground bridge opens in the air behind me and a squadron of Insecticons pours through. A few of them latch onto me and I swing my claws to bat them off. I open my jaws and let lose my beam to take out the remaining Insecticons that had begun to chew on my hide. Wheeljack transforms to unsheathe his swords and slice the two tailing him in half before transforming back and speeding towards the train. Arcee quickly takes out the ones following her as well. A stray Insecticon manages to knock Arcee off course as she transforms back.

"Get Fowler and June!" She hollers before turning to deal with it. Wheeljack and I speed past her and close in on the red car quickly. He suddenly drives up the small bump the track rests on and transforms, dropping the humans just as Wheeljack gets close enough to transform and catch them. He rolls with them in his hands and transforms into a car once more.

Still concentrating on the red car, I open my jaws again and shoot at the ground in front of him in attempt to slow him down. Once I get close enough, I pick him up with my jaws and fling him into the air. The red car transforms and grasps for the fossil that is now freefalling between us. I leap into the air and catch it in my jaws before landing on all fours while the red one hits the ground face-first. He glances up weakly as I crush the fossil between my teeth.

"No!" he cries in horror. Arcee decides to join me just before a ground bridge opens in front us and I pick him up and hurtle him through. The ground bridge closes as Wheeljack and Arcee pull up next to me.

"Where are they?" Arcee inquires him after transforming.

"In back," Wheeljack answers as he opens his trunk and June and Fowler emerge. They exit and Wheeljack transforms to glance at me. "You okay, kid? You seemed like you took a hit before we caught up to you." In response, I snort and glare at the place where the red car made his escape. "Hey, you kept them safe," he gestures to Fowler and June, "and besides, you kept the fossil from him, even if you reduced it to dust in the process." My mood lightening at his statement, I playfully knock my head against him. He chuckles lightly while Arcee half-smiles and calls Ratchet for a ground bridge.

We emerge on the other side to find Jack eagerly waiting for his mom. As soon as he sees her, he sprints forward and embraces her tightly. I transform back into a human and approach them. "Sorry I didn't rescue you guys sooner," I apologize. "And sorry for letting you get captured again..." June puts her hand on my shoulder.

"It's fine," she reassures me. "You did your best, and that's all we can ask for. Bill and I are just fine."

"C'mon, June, sit down," Fowler coaxes as he leads her to the couches.

"Bill?!" Jack exclaims. Miko walks over and points at Arcee and Wheeljack.

"Looks like you got jacked, Jack," she teases. "By another Jack."

"Pfft, as if," I scoff with my arms crossed.

"Oooo, sounds like someone's jealous!" Miko pokes. My face heats up as my cheeks blush an almost pure red.

"No! I just- they don't- ughhh!" I groan while Wheeljack walks past us towards Bulkhead and clanks forearms with him.

"Bromance trumps romance," Jack states. Miko rests her elbow on Jack's shoulder.

"Glad to be your bro, bro," she responds and they look each other angrily, yet humorously in each other's eyes. I glance up at Wheeljack remembering my crushes from my first two years of high school. _If what Miko is saying is true... Oh God, here we go again._


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"Something's not right," I state as my Cybertronian eye dilates to focus. "I have a feeling that what they're about to do is going to cause some serious collateral damage." Ratchet turns around to look at me in confusion.

"What's that?" He asks.

"Oh, I know! Raph, rotate that piece one more time counterclockwise and move it twice to the right!" I call to Raphael and Miko while they play Tetris. Ratchet rolls his eyes and resumes in his attempts to complete the synthetic energon formula. Wheeljack stroll up next to us

"You've been workin' on that non-stop for days, Doc. Why don't you take a break?" Wheeljack suggests.

"Because, Wheeljack, our remaining supply of energon will not allow me to," Ratchet snaps without turning around.

"Sheesh, someone's grouchy. Am I right, kid?" Wheeljack looks at me with a smile on his face. My expression becomes pained and I grab my elbows before quickly averting my eyes to the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I see Wheeljack's grin dissolve as he trudges away. Ratchet pauses in his work and peers down at me.

"What was that?" He asks.

"What was what?" I feign ignorance, refusing to glance up at him.

"You've been acting strangely around Wheeljack for the past couple of days," he observes. "Did something happen?" I remain silent and continue to stare at the floor. "Did Wheeljack do something to you?" My eyes look up at him with woeful humor in my voice.

"No, he didn't do anything. You know those memories from the past two years?"

"Yes."

"Do you remember what tormented me the most?" Ratchet thinks for a moment before sudden realization appears on his face.

"You mean-?"

"I'm not entirely sure yet," I cut him short, "but it feels that way."

"It is not natural for species as different as ours to have feelings such as those," he comments.

"I seem to be an exception, though. I always have been..." I trail off. "Look around you, Ratchet. The basics of these feelings between species already exist between the humans and Autobots of team Prime."

"But none are as intense as yours appear to be."

"I know. And that's what worries me." My eyes float around the base. "How could I know for sure, though? It's not like I've ever experienced loving someone who loves me back in that way..."

"Why don't you just tell him?"

"No! I mean- I just- It's not that easy!"

"No, you're just making it difficult. Even I can see that, and I'm no psychiatrist; I'm just a field medic," he finishes before turning away to leave me to my thoughts.

"I know," I sigh before releasing my arms and launching myself off the table after Wheeljack. I catch him right before he exits the hangar and land in his path. He looks down at me with surprise and slight contempt.

"You need something?" He asks scathingly. I wince at this and remain silent for a moment. "Look, if you want an apology, I don't got one. I don't even know what I did."

"You didn't do anything," I murmur as I hold my elbows and cast my gaze to the ground.

"Oh yeah? Then what's making you hate me so much?" Wheeljack demands. My eye wells with tears.

"I don't..."

"Then what is it?!"

"You're stupid, reckless, immature, and have no regard for others!" I snap at him. "Every time I think you're going to stay for good, you threaten to leave again! ... And- and that's what I love about you..."

"What?" He falters in his verbal attack.

"I love you!" I wail out loud while glancing up to search his eyes with desparation. Wheeljack stares down at me in shock. "Look, I know it would _never_work, but I can't control my feelings..." I stand, beside myself, in front of him as he continues to silently gape at me, eyes wide in astonishment. "I never should have done this, I've only made things worse," I sob as I begin to flee back into the base. I pause right behind Wheeljack without turning to face him. "I know you love Arcee, but if you're happy, I'm happy for you," I add before taking flight back into base, tears threatening to fall from my eye.

I find an isolated part of the base to hide in. My arms wrap around my knees and I begin to feel wracked with heartache. _My life...at this point is nothing but pain. This is why I never did this, Ratchet. It only hurts more to feel rejection than not saying anything… Every time things seem to get better, my joy is ruthlessly annihilated. I would never-_ my thoughts of self-pity are interrupted by gargantuan footsteps behind me. I try to ignore them while my body continues to shake with grief. The giant feet stop behind me, and I hear Wheeljack let out a sigh before reaching down to pick me up. I become limp and let him do so without struggle. Wheeljack sets me in his palm and places a finger under my chin to lift my gaze to meet his. His expression has become an apologetic smile.

"Sorry for snapping at you earlier, Isabelle. If I had known that you felt that way... Wow that explains a lot."

"It's okay," I laugh through my tears as he moves his hand away.

"What?"

"It's just so weird hearing you say my name. You usually give everyone a nickname. I thought you were just as bad with names as I am." He chuckles slightly at my remark. Then, he gazes into my eyes with a more serious look.

"Look, I'm not sure how to feel about this right now..." He continues. "I just need some time to figure this out."

"That's the best I could ask for," I beam at him gratefully unable to stop my tears. My hands release my shins and I rise to my feet. "So," I sniffle as I wipe my tears away, "What were you going to do outside?"


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"What is this stuff?" I inquire while crawling through some sort of green goo within the wiring of Ultra Magnus' ship.

"Coolant," Wheeljack replies. "Did you find it? It shouldn't be too far back in there."

"Yeah, yeah, keep your hood on; I got it," I joke as I reach for an unusual looking mechanism. "The round glossy thing, right? Are you sure I should just pull this out?"

"It'll be fine!" He reassures me. "There's extension wiring in the back, so it should come out still attached."

"Okay." I gently pull the object until it pops out of place. The back is still attached by wiring like Wheeljack said. Coolant covers my hands and arms as I pull it back to the opening I had crawled through to get in here. All of the sudden, the mechanism catches on something and turns vertical to become stuck between the floor and ceiling of machinery. "Uh, Wheeljack?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I get a little help here? I seem to be stuck." I attempt to tug the mechanism free before conjuring another solution. "Just...pull on my wings." I struggle to extend them until they jut-out of the opening.

"You sure it won't hurt?" He controverts. I roll my eyes in irritation.

"Just do it." I feel one of his hands cautiously grasp my wings and tug on them until the mechanism comes free and I slip through the opening. Wheeljack holds me in front of his face for a moment.

"Did that even hurt?"

"Not really," I shrug, "they're not that weak. It feels like if you were to pull me by my arms." I give the device to his other hand and he sets me down near his feet. I stay silent and stare out the hangar door while he fiddles with the wiring. I hadn't realized before that they kept Ultra Magnus' ship in one of the other hangars. The only other times I've been in it, the ship was temporarily parked outdoors. Outside, US soldiers jog in formation while jeeps drive back and forth. _They seem to leave the Autobots alone for the most part, _I observe. _You would think they didn't even know we were here. _

"I'm not attracted to her, you know." Wheeljack's comment pulls my consciousness back into the hangar.

"What?"

"Arcee, I'm not attracted to her." I think back to when they had left on a mission together.

"But-"

"We just went on a mission together," he cuts me off. "She helped me realize that I was pushin' Bulk away when I shouldn't have... I guess you both are straightening me out, huh?" My frown turns to a jesting grin.

"Good thing, too," I laugh, "Because one day, you're going to cause the ceiling of a cavern to cave in on top of you."

"Too late for that," he smirks while continuing to tinker. All of the sudden, the mechanism sprays coolant all over Wheeljack. I fail to stop myself from bursting out with laughter. He narrows his eyes at it in annoyance before resuming. "There," he finishes before glancing down at me.

"Ok, give it here," I sigh in conclusion to splitting my sides as I begin to flap my wings. I hover next to the hatch and Wheeljack hands me the mechanism before I fold my wings and clamber back in. The spot it was supposed to fit in wasn't too far from the entrance. I manage to roll onto my back and lift the object in my hands to push it back into place. "So what's the deal?" I holler towards the hatch entrance, "You already warming up to Magnus or something?"

"You could say that," he replies, "Or I might've taken your advice."

"And what advice would that be?"

"To look at the situation through his point of view. That and I'm bored."

"That makes two of us," I smile as the device pops into place. "Got it!" I turn around onto my side and extend my wings all the way. Wheeljack pulls me out and closes the hatch. My arms and shins are covered with coolant. He closes the hatch while I try to wipe some of it off. I give up and turn to Wheeljack to make a mock of a fancy gesture towards the door. "Shall we get going then?"

"Sure. You want a ride?" He raises one of his shoulders slightly.

"Sure. It's not like either of us could get any dirtier." I employ my wings to take me to the perch that he offered.

When we enter the base, everyone seems tense for some reason. _My money's on that it was Ultra Magnus, _I think to myself while I glance around to see him facing them with a harsh look on his face. He shifts his vision to narrow his eyes at us.

"Soldier, I don't recall giving you permission to leave the base," he sternly addresses Wheeljack. I glide from Wheeljack's shoulder onto a nearby catwalk.

"Because you didn't, sir," Wheeljack responds irritably while shaking the goo off of his hands.

"Why are your hands smeared with coolant?" He demands.

"We calibrated your ship's engines," he replies while wiping the last from his hands. "You can expect a ten percent increase in vector thrust." Ultra Magnus raises his eyebrows in surprise. I hear the sound of plane engines from outside and Optimus Prime lands in the doorway Wheeljack and I just entered through. The others rush past Ultra Magnus to crowd around Optimus while giving warm greetings to him.

"Decepticon activity is at a low," he reports. "I fear that Megatron may have collected the specimen he requires to-" he pauses when he spots Ultra Magnus standing by himself next to me who's on the catwalk. I lean my elbows on the rail and shift my gaze between them. _For once, I actually feel sorry for the guy. He's too used to the war on Cybertron, and things running like a machine. _"-clone his army," he finishes with a piteous look in his eyes.

After more briefing, the group disperses and Ultra Magnus drifts to the now vacant door to gaze at the soldiers outside. Optimus approaches him and begins to converse. I turn my attention to Ratchet. "Any luck with the formula?" I ask.

"Not much," he answers.

"Hmm. Maybe I could help? I did get an A in chemistry class." Suddenly, the screen starts flashing and it changes to a three-dimensional map.

"Optimus," Ratchet calls to him, "our scanners have detected exposed energon." The Autobots now surrounding him turn to Optimus for a command.

"With our reserves at a critical low, we cannot afford not to investigate."

"Any objections to me tagging along?" I ask them. When no one says anything, I grin and jump off the catwalk to glide to the table. "Let's go then!" Ratchet opens the ground bridge and we all march through.

We emerge on the on top of a tree- covered cliff and immediately, I spot Decepticons at the foot of it. Arcee, Bumblebee, and Smokescreen silently split off to wait in the forest opposite to the cliff-face.

"Decepticons," Optimus bellows, "step away from the energon and surrender." Without hesitation, they all unsheathe their weapons and fire up at us. Magnus, Bulkhead, Wheeljack hurl themselves towards them while Optimus and I stay at the top and return fire. Ultra Magnus and Bulkhead rush down the face of the cliff and Wheeljack unsheathes his swords to land on the nearest Decepticon. Bulkhead lands on a Decepticon nearer to the entrance while Wheeljack uses an electric whip to grab another before Ultra Magnus crushes the Decepticon with the Forge. The remaining Decepticons turn around when they realize that Arcee, Smokescreen, and Bumblebee are shooting at their backs. _Perfect. _I aim my sights on one of them and make a perfect headshot. I pick-off a few more before I notice that Optimus has jumped down to take out the last one. My gun transforms back into a hand and I follow him down the rock-face.

"Look at all that sweet fuel," Smokescreen revels as he picks up a crystal from one of the carts the Decepticons were hauling. My eyes narrow in suspicion. _Where were they hauling it to? There's no transport, no ground bridge..._

"Stealth team, transport our cargo back to base," Optimus commands. "Wreckers, reconnoiter the mine."

"I've always wanted to roll with the wreckers!" Smokescreen exclaims. Everyonesilently stares at him in surprise. "Uh, sir." He corrects his position to a formal military one.

"If you think there's more, I could help," I offer. Optimus gives me a nod and we enter the mine on high alert. As we traverse down the tunnel, I notice that it's too quiet.

"No energon signals," Bulkhead mentions.

"And no additional security," Wheeljack adds. "Somethin' doesn't smell right." We keep going until we reach a fork in the tunnel.

"Bulkhead and Smokscreen, take left," Ultra Magnus commands. "Wheeljack, Isabelle, and I will take right." We all silently nod with acknowledgment and part ways. I fly ahead to scout what might be down the tunnel. My flight path falters when I spot an unnatural glow ahead and I land next to the doorway to a laboratory within the mine. I peek through and gape in horror at the Predacons growing inside giant test tubes filled with yellow liquid. Wheeljack and Magnus catch up with me and pause to do the same before we come to our senses and cautiously enter the laboratory. Wheeljack pauses beside one of the test tubes.

"Well, this is one whole lot of ugly," he comments.

"You do realize that my other form is based off of them, right?" I narrow my eyes at him with irritation.

"Sorry," he winces slightly.

"Megatron's cloning operation seems further along than we anticipated," Ultra Magnus observes. We then spot Shockwave at the other end of the rows of Predacons. He glances up in surprise, and begins to shoot at us. I lose all sense of control and move to attack him. Wheeljack notices and grabs me by my wings before I do. We take cover behind the capsules. My rage burns inside me while Wheeljack holds me back while returning fire.

"Let me go, Wheeljack!" I demand, my eye blazing with fury, as he pins me to his chest with one arm. "I don't want to hurt you!" He glances down at me with a relieved yet somber look on his face.

"Good," he replies. "I can't let you go, kid. We both know you'll get scrapped." I hesitate in my struggle and I stare at him with dismal understanding. We both glance to witness Shockwave press a button on his control panel that causes an electrical pulse to travel from one test tube to the other, brining each Predacon to life. A ground bridge opens near the top of the cave and Shockwave flees through it. Wheeljack releases me and we all back away from the Predacons as the fluid drains from their glass wombs. I brace myself as they make all sorts of bestial noises and open their eyes. Some even begin to break the glass. Wheeljack spots the energon crates sitting at the other end of the cave.

"Permission to employ a grenade in a confined space sir?" He requests.

"If we are all that stand between these monsters and the natives of these planet, then by all means... Blow these beasts back to the rust age!" Ultra Magnus commands. Wheeljack gives him a dark grin before arming his grenade and lobbing it at the energon. I narrow my eyes and realize that the cubes are not glowing blue.

"That's not energon!" I exclaim before Wheeljack scoops me up and transforms into a car to speed after Ultra Magnus out of the cavern. As we haul tailpipe back through the tunnel, a ground bridge opens in front of us. Unsure, Wheeljack and Magnus skid to a halt and I jump out of Wheeljack before they both transform in time to watch as a huge, terrifying figure walks through with a menacing expression on his face.

"Who's this guy?" Wheeljack questions.

"The very same who has previously allowed you to live," he responds while the portal closes behind him. "But will not today."

"He's the Predacon!" Ultra Magnus exclaims. The explosion catches up with us and Wheeljack grabs me to shield me from the blast. The Predacon stares in horror and rage down the tunnel.

"What have you done to my brethren?" He demands. Wheeljack sets me aside and prepares for a fight. "What have you done?!" He repeats before charging. Ultra Magnus and Wheeljack dodge while shooting at him. In his rage, he swings his claws at Ultra Magnus and sends him flying. The Predacon turns to Wheeljack and flings him against a cave wall. Wheeljack falls to the floor, but recovers quickly.

"Well," Wheeljack glares up at him, "let's dance!" The Predacon charges at him once more, but Wheeljack dodges easily and delivers a few blows before sending him flying into the cave wall. He unsheathes his swords and sprints at the Predacon, but he dodges and slams Wheeljack to the ground and begins to beat him. I am about to move from my spot before I see Ultra Magnus running up behind him to deliver a blow with the Forge. The Predacon smacks it away, but Magnus reaches it in time to deliver a few more blows before the Predacon separates him from it, again, and attacks him with his own weapon. Just as the Predacon is about to smack it down on Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack rushes behind him and uses the lightning whip to grab hold of the head of the Forge and sever it from his grasp to swing it around and smack him in the face with it. Ultra Magnus rises and retrieves the Forge before they both charge at the Predacon. Wheeljack throws his swords and pulls out his whip once more to attach it to the head of the Forge while the two sides charge at each other. The Predacon realizes what they are doing too late. The whip stuns him and he falls backwards to the cave floor. He flips over in time to catch himself before pulling Wheeljack's blades from his forearm and charging at them. Wheeljack wraps his head with the whip, but the Predacon breaks it before Wheeljack and Ultra Magnus begin to play volleyball with his head. He strikes the wall and they begin to shoot at the disoriented Predacon. Wheeljack looks up and begins to shoot at the base of a massive stalactite above the Predacon's head. Ultra Magnus catches on, and they continue shooting until the stalactite falls on top of him.

All becomes quiet, and they both sheathe their weapons while Wheeljack glances back at me to see if I'm alright. Suddenly, the boulder shifts, and the Predacon swings it at them. They separate before Wheeljack looks up to see the Predacon charging at him while holding the gargantuan boulder above his head. He uses it to crush Wheeljack into a cave wall. I watch in dismay as Wheeljack's head hangs from weakness after the blow. Ultra Magnus attempts to scramble for the Forge, but the Predacon jumps on top of his hand and shatters it. Ultra Magnus grunts in agony. He rolls over as the Predacon begins walking towards the Forge.

"And here I was just beginning to tolerate you," Wheeljack jokes weekly.

"It's been an honor serving beside you, soldier," Ultra Magnus replies just as the Predacon raises the Forge.

"Step away from the Autobot!" I yell across the cavern, my eye glowing fiercely. The Predacon pauses and faces me.

"I know you," he snarls, "You are one of us! You have no right to interfere! Bow before your leader, Predaking!"

"Wow, you must be so desperate if you're willing to call me one of your own," I scoff with hostility. "You're no king of mine! Never have been, never will be." I transform and let out a roar before launching myself at him. I tear at his chest before he grabs my leg and flings me across the cave. My wings spread and I catch myself midair to fire my beam at him. Predaking takes the hit and slides back into a stalagmite. He then charges at me and jumps to grab my hind leg and drag me to the floor. I rake my claws across his face before he slams me to the cave floor and begins to pommel me. Just then, Optimus flies out of nowhere and lifts him off of me to send Predaking flying through a stalagmite hitting the cave wall. I recover and look to Optimus who gives me a nod before pulling out his machine guns and firing at the cave ceiling to cause it to collapse around Predaking. I limp over to Wheeljack and help him up with my wing and slide him onto my back before staggering over to retrieve his swords with my mouth. He feebly holds onto my neck while Optimus grabs Ultra Magnus and we fly out of the cave just as Predaking breaks through the debris. When we reach the outside, he transforms into a Predacon and takes flight after us. A ground bridge opens in the air in front of us and we soar through. I fold my wings and skid across the floor of the base and almost hit Bulkhead.

"Jackie!" He cries. Not able to hold the weight anymore, I drop the swords and collapse onto the floor in exhaustion. I lie, panting, with Wheeljack still holding onto my back. The Autobots rush to lift Wheeljack off of me. Optimus carries an unconscious Ultra Magnus to Ratchet. Uncertain of whose condition is worse, Ratchet glances between the three of us.

"Take care of Magnus first," Wheeljack groans from leaning on Bulkhead's shoulder. "We'll be fine." I growl in agreement, still too weak to move. Ratchet turns to Optimus and instructs him to place Magnus on his medical table. He then grabs some tools and begins to work on what's left of his hand. Bulkhead sits Wheeljack on an empty energon crate between Arcee and Bumblebee. I manage to transform back into a human and stagger over to them. Wheeljack holds out his hand and slowly lifts me to his shoulder. I slide off of his hand and sit there, leaning against his head. Wheeljack moves his hand to cover a wound in his arm. Ultra Magnus comes to and falteringly gazes around at us. Ratchet finishes sealing his wrist and Magnus holds it up and groans feebly.

"Ratchet will take good care of you," Optimus reassures him. Wheeljack grimly stares at the floor.

"Magnus fought like a true wrecker," he comments. I glance between them with pity. _Despite all three of us almost getting scrapped, __I definitely didn't get the worst of it._ Ultra Magnus looks to Optimus.

"Optimus, when we spoke earlier, what could be greater than an army?" He asks.

"A human concept," Optimus replies, "one I have learned since coming to Earth." He glances at us as Wheeljack gets to his feet and the Autobots move to stand around Ultra Magnus. "Family." I gaze from Wheeljack's shoulder at the others and wonder, _am I part of this family? Who am I kidding, how could I be?_

"I could have prevented this," I croaked from Wheeljack's shoulder. "All I did was hide until I realized that you two couldn't handle him." Wheeljack shifts his eyes to me without moving his head; he seems almost angry.

"First of all, I told you to stay hidden," he mentions sternly.

"And, if you had interfered at an earlier time, the outcome could have resulted in more casualties," Optimus adds.

"It still doesn't matter, though," I reply sitting up, "I knew it was a set-up the second Wheeljack lobbed that grenade."

"What?" Everyone turns to look at me.

"Think about it, the only energon there was the energon that the Decepticons were supposedly hauling out of the mine. And it wasn't that much for how far back the mine went. Also, we just so happened to stumble upon Shockwave's laboratory. Which, by the way was not storing energon in the back; I'm pretty sure that was something else. Then we haul tailpipe out of there, only to be confronted by an angry Predacon who wants to avenge his newly fallen brothers."


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

We watch anxiously while Ratchet finishes creating a makeshift hand for Ultra Magnus. I stand on the table next to them watching closely. Jack, Raph, and Miko had arrived a few hours ago and are now watching from the platform next to us. Ratchet turns the wielding torch off and turns around to face us.

"I have done everything I can," he sighs, "considering the limitations of my equipment, and less than ideal spare parts. He steps back to reveal a claw-like hand with three fingers. "It remains uncertain if Ultra Magnus' new appendage will be fit for battle. Though it should prove functional, after a requisite amount of therapy."

"That is all we can hope for old friend," Optimus reassures him.

"You doin' ok?" Arcee asks Wheeljack. He clenches his hands in frustration.

"I'm still two fisted," he grunts.

"So's Magnus," she replies.

"Wait and see, the claw's goin' to become his signature!" Smokescreen pipes up as he approaches Bumblebee. "You know, like the way you own that voice box that Ratchet slapped in your throat?" Bumblebee creates a stream of long, angry bleeps and looks away from Smokescreen. "I- mean- everyone understands you fine! Why would you even consider getting it fixed now? Right?" Bumblebee turns around to glare at him and beep a few more times before stomping off.

"Smokescreen, I know you didn't mean it that way, but sometimes it helps to think before you open your mouth," I scold lightly before flying after Bee. _This could prove to be pointless. I can't understand him, so this could be a one way conversation, _I think before catching up to him. "Bumblebee, wait up!" I call. He refuses to acknowledge me and continues to tromp through the base. "C'mon, Bee, don't be like that," I plead as I land on his shoulder. "I've never seen you mad, and I don't wanna see it now." He stops and glances over at me while bleeping with an irritated look on his face. "Look, I may not know what it's like to lose your voice, but I do know what it's like to lose apart of yourself," I relate. "I'll admit I might have taken having both eyes and both arms for granted." Bumblebee averts his eyes and glares at the floor. "I'm sure Smokescreen didn't mean it that way," I sigh, "you know how he likes to run his mouth." He remains silent. "If I had the power, I would do anything to restore your voice. And I'm sure that the rest of the Autobots feel the same as I do." Bumblebee's eyes dilate and he shifts his gaze up to me on his shoulder. He lets out a few more beeps and I beam at him, realizing that I've managed to cheer him up. "You know what you could do in the meantime though; your voice reminds me of some music that a few people I once knew listened to. I bet you and Raph could make some serious jams with those computer skills he has," I joke. His eyes dilate and he makes an irritated noise. "Okay, okay," I raise my hands defensively. "It was just a thought. Seriously, though. It would be a whole new genre of music," my cheeks tighten into a grin. We hear a commotion going on back in the base and return to find Agent Fowler reporting Decepticon thievery.

"What are the Decepticons looking to build?" Optimus wonders aloud.

"Beats me," I answer while landing next to Ratchet, "but it sounds like they're building something big." I think for a moment. "It has occurred to me that I never officially joined team Prime; I feel like I've just been a bad house guest that won't leave," I smile embarrassingly.

"What do ya mean; you're not a part of the team?" Wheeljack questions.

"Isabelle," Optimus turns to me, "you have more than earned your place on this team." I glance around at the affirmative faces of each of the Autobots and humans alike.

"Wow," I chuckle, "I can be so blind sometimes. I thought all this time, when you guys kept an eye on me; I thought it was because you didn't trust me."

"You kiddin'?" Smokescreen pipes up.

"We were only concerned that the Decepticons would attempt to capture you when our backs were turned," Arcee states. I beam at them in elation before my face suddenly contorts as my mouth stretches into a yawn.

"What time is it?" I ask sleepily, realizing that I have been up since we got back from the attack on project Predacon.

"Time for you to power down for a while," Ratchet answers. I yawn again and nod in agreement before drifting to the couch. I lie on my side, facing the back of the couch, and fold my wings behind my back. The sound of one of the Autobots approaching me is the last thing I hear before I fall into a seemingly peaceful sleep.

My eyes open to the same scene of Shockwave's lab. "Go ahead," I growl. "You can't hurt me anymore. This isn't real, and we both know it. Your methods never worked; they won't now."

"Then perhaps I should employ a different one," the deep voice behind me sounds. Two Decepticons enter the room and remove me from the table to carry me outside. Before I know it, I am chained between them while they fly through the air towards the Autobot base. I begin to panic when I recognize our destination.

"Don't you dare touch them!" I shout furiously. "I swear I'll rip you apart myself!" They remain silent as we stop to hover within viewing range of the base, but, in the distance, I hear a jet engine growing louder and closer. My eyes lift from the base to see a jet fire its rockets at the hangar. It bursts into flames as pieces of the base fly in all directions. "No!" I scream as the jet soars away. "You're dead! Lifeless scrap!" I howl before unsheathing my sword and breaking the chains. "You're nothing!" I snarl before charging mid-air towards the first one. My wings give a powerful push so that I float above him before I fold them and land on top of the Decepticon. Without thinking, I drive my sword into the center and transform my other hand into a sniper rifle to press it into the jet's topside and fire. The lifeless husk blasts off of my blade and plummets towards the ground. My eyes switch to the last Decepticon and I charge to grab hold of the top while slashing at him. "Transform, damn you!" I ragingly command. He does so before I drive him to the ground, creating a crater around us. The dust settles and I stand on his back, sword raised above my head in both hands. "Too bad you won't get the chance to think twice before obeying orders against me," I state darkly before driving the blade into the nape of the Decepticon's neck. The life fades from him while I lean, panting, against the hilt of the sword.

Remembering the Autobots, I quickly withdraw and flee the scene to glide through the trees towards the smoking rubble. My eyes widen in terror when I see it. I fly higher above the fires and hover above the ruins. What I witness causes me to gape in horror. The bodies of the Autobots, each face showing fear and hopelessness; each of them staring up at me, as if I were the one who had murdered them. I raise my hands in front of my face to find them covered in liquid energon.

I scream as I awaken, in a cold sweat, from the newest twist of my reoccurring nightmare. Everyone in the base whips around and anxiously stares at me. "Are you okay, kid?" Wheeljack asks from beside me. I gaze around at each of the Autobots' faces. _They're okay! But, I saw them...the Decepticons killed them in front of me. They blew up the base and forced me to watch. _I sit on the couch, my face refusing to show the grief tearing me from the inside out. I begin to quake and Wheeljack reaches to pick me up by the wings and place me on the platform in the middle of the concerned Autobots.

"You're okay, you're okay," I mutter between breaths.

"What do you mean? Of course we're okay," Smokescreen comments. Without looking up, I hug my knees and calm myself before speaking.

"Every time it was the same thing, until tonight," I whimper. "I thought they'd go away, my nightmares of Shockwave's laboratory, but they don't. They just get worse."

"We've noticed," Ratchet answers, "You tend to have outbursts in your sleep every once and awhile." He glances at Wheeljack. "And this one almost always refuses to leave your side during such occasions." I look over to Wheeljack and he places his hand on the back of his head as if embarrassed.

"I worry about you," he states with an abashed smile.

"Prime!" Fowler's voice sounds from the control panel, "It's 'Cons again; in progress this time." Ratchet moves to the ground bridge controls.

"Coordinates received, Agent Fowler," he responds while pulling the lever to open the ground bridge. Ultra Magnus walks towards it.

"Let's roll!" He states. Ratchet hold up a hand to stop him.

"Ep-ep!" He exclaims, "Your ability to 'roll' remains predicated upon further exploration of your manual dexterity." Magnus raises his hand and attempts to move it with great difficulty.

"I'm afraid that Ratchet's authority supersedes my own in medical matters," Optimus tells him.

"Understood," Ultra Magnus sighs. Wheeljack gazes at him with pity before following Optimus and the others through the ground bridge before it closes. I take a deep breath before standing and turning to Ratchet.

"If I may, I would like to assist in the physical therapy of Ultra Magnus' new appendage," I request. He glances down at me in surprise. "I'm probably the only one here who would know how to help him besides you," I point out. "Also, he helped me with my transformations, so it's the least I could do." Ultra Magnus gazes down at me, holding his makeshift hand. I look back at him with a piteous smile.

"Alright," Ratchet sighs, "but don't attempt anything too drastic without my approval."

"C'mon, what could she possibly do?" Miko asks.

"Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge," Optimus' voice sounds from the panel. "But ensure that the humans are kept at a safe distance. For we will be returning with a Decepticon prisoner." My expression becomes serious, and I address Ratchet.

"I'll take care of them," I state. He gives me an affirmative nod and I glance at Jack, Miko, and Raph to signal them to follow me before launching myself towards the platforms towards the back of the base. The ground bridge opens before Wheeljack and Bulkhead walk through, restraining a faceless Decepticon between them. I draw my sword clutch it at my side, ready to strike if necessary.

"Soundwave," Jack mutters from behind me. They force him onto Ratchet's examination table that binds his arms and legs upon contact. He begins to struggle in attempt to escape.

"Because we had the foresight to shield our new base, our captive will be unable to transmit his coordinates to the Decepticon warship," Ratchet states while glaring at Soundwave.

"Nor will they, in turn, be able to pinpoint his location," Optimus adds.

"Looks like we have all the time in the world to make Mister Personality everything he knows." Wheeljack punches his palm with enthusiasm. I sheathe my sword and step back to relax.

"The 'Cons' surveillance chief must know a lot," Jack comments, "right?"

"But Soundwave doesn't speak," Miko objects, "does he?"

"I'm not sure if he even has a face," Raph pipes up. Agent Fowler approaches us from behind during their banter. I cross my arms and observe the Decepticon suspiciously. _I don't think this is a good idea, _I think with my frown visible and eyes narrowed. Optimus approaches Soundwave to begin interrogation.

"Why is Megatron stealing human technology?" He asks. "What is he attempting to build?" Soundwave only replies with a remixed version of Optimus' voice, then a smiley face on his own, as if mocking Optimus' efforts.

"Oh, yeah?" Bulkhead challenges, transforming his hand into a wrecking ball. "Why don't I wipe that smile right off his face?"

"Soundwave," Optimus steps back, "we have treated you fairly. For the sake of the natives of this planet, tell us what Megatron is attempting to build; before we are forced to rely on less civil methods of interrogation." In response, Soundwave lets out a deafening siren noise that causes all of us to cover our ears until it stops.

"Scrap this," Ratchet steps forward. "Soundwave is no ordinary Cybertronian; inside or out. So I would strongly suggest opening him up, so we can have a first-hand look at the information recorded on his drives." Cybertronian words appear on Soundwave's face.

"Uh-oh," Arcee comments.

"Alright, he's downloading data!" Bulkhead exclaims.

"No!" Ratchet corrects. "Soundwave's _erasing_ data!" I groan in frustration before leaping towards him and smacking my Cybertronian hand onto Soundwave's face. My sense of mobility disintegrates and I witness Megatron standing in front of me, _no Soundwave_, Starscream, and Shockwave. _He's explaining the importance of rebuilding the- _

Suddenly, the memory disappears and I am forced back into my own body. I gasp for breath before whipping my furious gaze back to Soundwave. "Soundwave superior." He states in a distorted voice. "Autobots inferior." Soundwave's screen then goes black and his head rolls back. I jump backwards and hover in front of his limp body, glaring at the black screen.

"Is he..." Bulkhead trails off. Ratchet begins scanning Soundwave.

"His vital signs remain functional," Ratchet answers. "It seems that he simply severed all communications by crashing his own drives." I glance at him in frustration.

"So that wasn't me," I add, "just so you know. I attempted to access his memory, but he kicked me out before I heard what Megatron is trying to _rebuild_. I think that word could narrow it down a little."


	13. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

"Prime," Agent Fowler's voice becomes audible through the speakers in the control panel. "These recent 'Con heists have General Brice breathing down my neck, so I got to get back to the barbecue today for another grilling."

"Understood, Agent Fowler," Optimus replies from beside Ratchet. "And, rest assured, should our prisoner return online, we will resume our interrogation."

"Sounds like a plan," Fowler responds, "I'll get back to base as soon as possible."

"In the meantime," Ratchet turns to me, "I would like to attempt to explore your ability to enter another's mind."

"What?" I step back on the table in surprise.

"I am the only one who has been inside your head, for one," he explains. "Also, it could help in our interrogation once Soundwave feels the need to awaken." Still doubtful, I narrow my eyes at him.

"I gotta warn you, my head's not exactly full of rainbows and happy thoughts."

"I am aware," he responds with a stubborn look in his eyes. I let out a sigh in defeat.

"Fine, but you may want to sit down," I reply darkly. "Wouldn't want our medic fainting onto any of his precious equipment." He finds a seat away from his station and I follow him to land on his shoulder. I sit and hold my hand near his face. "You ready?" Ratchet nods confidently before I press my hand to the side of his head and pull him into my mind.

I waken to a massive cavern with glowing blue mushrooms lining its walls and towering above me in the center. Around me, stone fortresses stand scattered throughout the vastness of this cave. _I better look for Ratchet before he wanders into the dangerous regions of my subconscious,_ I decide before transforming and taking flight. My will causes origin-less winds to carry me through the illuminated cavern until I catch sight of Ratchet. I fold my wings and land in front of him, causing him to jump back, startled.

"Where are we?" He inquires, gazing around in amazement.

_Welcome to my mind,_ I respond without transforming. _Get on. We have a lot to see. _Before Ratchet is able to climb onto my back, another version of me shambles by. We watch as it seems to aimlessly wander across the path. It hums a song and stares ahead with wild eyes and an insane smile stretched across its face.

_If I had to, I would put myself right beside you_

_So let me ask, would you like that? Would you like that?_

_And I don't mind, if you say this love is the last time. _

_So now I'll ask do you like that. Do you like that? _

_No!_

_Something's getting in the way. _

_Something's just about to break. _

_I will try to find my place in the diary of Jane, _

_So tell me__ how it should be._

_There's a fine line, between love and hate,_

_And I don't mind, just let me say_

_That I like that. I like that. _

_Desperate I will grow, waiting for so long._

_No more! There's no more!_

_Die for anyone._

_What have I become?_

"Is that you?" Ratchet asks while seating himself on my back. I glance back at him solemnly before launching myself into the air.

_Yes, _I answer. _Just like Starscream cloned himself and caused each clone to mirror a single attribute of his, I separated my emotions long ago to protect myself. I was hoping we wouldn't meet any of them. My negative feelings, such as despair and sadness wander the darker regions of my subconscious. _We glide past a high-walled city with a massive shining orb that resembles a sun floating above it. _That would be my memories before Darkmount. My other emotions, such as happiness and loving reside there to bask in the lighter district of my mind,_ I inform Ratchet before he can ask. _As you can see, I protect them well from outsiders... If you don't mind, I would rather we don't go there. _As we traverse, the walls of the cave gradually turn from rock to cybermatter. The glowing mushrooms turn into smoldering blue fires at the base of each pillar of cybermatter. I land in front of a circular door, which twists open from the center as I approach it. Ratchet slides off of my back and I transform into a human. I walk closer to a control panel resembling the one Shockwave used in his lab. With each step, I grow bigger until I'm the same size as Ratchet. _Since we're in my mind, I can make myself as big as I want if that's what you're wondering,_ I explain without turning around. The screens that line the walls of this chamber emit images of my memories with the Autobots. Ratchet follows me towards the control panel, gazing around at the images before stopping at the one depicting my most recent nightmare. I turn around to see him witnessing his own death and the slaughter of my Decepticon captors. _Please, don't tell the others you saw that,_ I beg him. He looks at me with grim understanding before I place my hands on the console. _I know the real reason you wanted to enter my mind,_ I mention without glancing up. _The truth is I don't know if you can help me_.

"Well, I can try," Ratchet insists. My hand moves to a button in the center of the panel.

_Please do, _I reply dismally as shackles with broken chains materialize around my wrists. _Help me claim the part of me I lost in the Decepticon fortress. _I press the button and a door on the far side of the room opens. _I can't transform as long as these remain around my wrists,_ I explain before moving towards the doorway to Darkmount. _Thus, I am powerless to go through here without being forced out by those inside. It's the only part of my subconscious where I can't control what happens. _

"Let's get going, then." Ratchet catches up to me and leads me through the doorway with his weapons drawn. We sneak through the hallways and avoid as many patrols as we can. The ones we are unable to avoid are silently terminated and pulled aside, so that they aren't noticed. Once we reach the laboratory, the door opens to a clone of me chained to Shockwave's table. Shockwave stands at his station pressing buttons. As we enter, he whips around and pushes a button that causes electric shocks to travel through my other body. The pain travels to my own and I shrink back to the size of a regular human as I collapse to the floor, shaking. Shockwave begins to wordlessly fire his cannon at us.

"Isabelle!" Ratchet gasps as he kneels down to cover me.

_St-Stop... Shockwave,_ I glance up at him, my lips parted and unmoving. Ratchet's eyes become fiery and he stands to let out a battle cry while advancing on Shockwave. I slowly turn my gaze to see that he has knocked Shockwave off of the button. The pain disappears and I rise just as Shockwave overpowers Ratchet and pins him to the wall. I draw my sword and launch myself at Shockwave's back. My wings carry me above him before I fold them and land on his shoulders. _Never again!_ I roar before forcing my sword into the top of head and removing it to jump off as he falls on his knees and dissolves as if some wind is carrying him away. Ratchet reaches through the ashes to catch me before approaching my limp body lying on the torture table. I step off of his hand and walk to stand in front of it and fall backwards into my other self, merging with it. My eyes slowly open as Ratchet breaks my shackles to allow me to move.

We sit next to each other at the shore of a lake facing the city of light within the cavern. Above the lake, rocks begin to fall from the ceiling into the mirror like surface, causing immense ripples and tiny waves that lap at our feet. Blinding light that forces us to shield our eyes pours through the widening cracks. The surface of the lake begins to sparkle and reflect the light onto the cavern ceiling. "So, what part of you did we reclaim?" Ratchet asks. I look away from the lake and wearily smile at him.

_My humanity_, I reply. _You see, it was never really gone; just...trapped. My grip on it was slipping. I'm sure you all noticed when you first met me. But since I met you guys, I've been fighting for it. _My gaze shifts to the still water that reflects the image of the city on its surface. _I think I've finally figured it out._

"What?" he questions.

_My feelings towards Wheeljack,_ I reply. _I was just as confused as he is about how I feel, but I finally figured it out, thanks to my mom. One thing I remember from before she passed away was when she told me about love. There's not just one kind, you see. According to the Greeks, there are four: Éros, passionate love; Agápe, brotherly or spiritual love; Philia, loving of a friend; and Storge, affectionate love. At first, I was almost certain that what I feel for Wheeljack is Éros._

"But now?" Ratchet prompts.

_Now I know that what I feel is Agápe. I'm not sure how long it will take Wheeljack to figure his own feelings out, but I can wait._ We remain silently next to each other on the shore for a little longer. I soon remember that we are inside my mind and let out a sigh.

_You've been here for a while, Ratchet. Better get back before you forget what it feels like to be in your own body,_ I state. His body fades while I continue to gaze at the city. _I should probably wake up too_, I sigh once more. Around me, lush shrubbery begins to grow along the water's edge. Vines wrap around the spires of rock, reaching for the light, as new buds bloom into flowers. _It's not much of an improvement,_ I observe as I glance around at the rest of the barren cavern, _but it's a start._


	14. Chapter 13

**Note: **I won't be posting another chapter today due to a day trip later today, but I will continue posting on Sunday!

**Chapter 13**

"I'm on my way to the base," Fowler begins, "but I just got word; the 'Cons broke into the Sal's particle collider project at the South Pole!" Optimus turns to us.

"Autobots," he prompts. Ultra Magnus steps forward and clenches his makeshift fist.

"What-yep-ep," Ratchet moves to stop him.

"Doc," Wheeljack steps to Magnus' defense. "The commander's ready."

"I would know," I add. "We've been working on it for weeks." He looks at both of us for a moment, not certain anymore.

"Fine, fine," he sighs while stepping past us to the ground bridge controls.

"Bulkhead, Smokescreen," Optimus addresses them, "remain with Ratchet to guard our prisoner. Everyone else, transform and rollout!" Ratchet opens the ground bridge and I join the rest of the Autobots in moving out. I pause next to Ratchet.

"I don't like the idea of leaving you here with Soundwave," I mutter to him, "but I trust Bulkhead and Smokescreen to take care of you." I grin at him. "See you when I get back."

"Likewise," he replies with straight face before I rush after the Autobots through the portal. When I reach the other end, I emerge next to them in a blizzard.

"Sh-Sh-Sh-should've brought my jacket," I shiver next to Wheeljack. He wordlessly picks me up and places me on his shoulder. I realize how much heat he radiates and scoot closer to his head, my sniper rifle drawn. We begin to move towards a glass dome with a massive hole in the side. _Yep, they're definitely here._ Optimus suddenly holds up his fist, signaling for us to halt momentarily.

"Go ahead," he states. They sit for a moment as if listening to someone._ It's gotta be Ratchet. I hope everything's okay, _I think anxiously. "No, for you know as well as I," Optimus speaks again, "that Megatron will use a reconstructed lock to cyber-form both Cybertron and Earth. And that is me abusive power that we cannot allow." I realize that he's talking about the Omega Lock and narrow my eyes in determination. _He's not getting away with this. _Optimus resumes the trek towards the dome, and the rest of us follow. I notice a bat-like shadow across the ice that no one else does.

Alarm pulses through me as I realize that this was a trap. Without warning, I jump off of Wheeljack's shoulder to transform and circle the Autobots protectively. I look to the skies, bracing myself. _He's coming. _Silence hangs in the air for a moment._ I may not get out of this one alive. _A screech sounds in the distance and the sound of beating wings grows closer. The sleet around us makes it difficult to see, but I can feel him. _Predaking is coming._ His dark shadow covers us as he hovers overhead. He glares at me with his menacing yellow eyes and lets loose a fireball. I counter it with my beam and it meets the fireball midair with explosive force. Before the smoke clears, I let out a roar and launch myself into the air to latch onto his underside. I attempt to rip out his throat but miss and he breaks away. I glare into Predaking's eyes before firing my beam at him once more. He weaves around it and swings his claws at my face and raking them across my cheek. They leave gargantuan marks that begin to drip energon. Predaking grabs hold of me and continues to smite me with his fiery breath. It does little more than sting, but I free one arm and smack his head to force him to stop. In pursuit of gaining an upper hand, I swing my head at his and head-butt him in the face. Predaking's grip loosens for a second, but he quickly snaps out of his daze and regains it.

"Isabelle, fall back! We'll take it from here!" Optimus calls out to me. I attempt to break away, but Predaking has too tight of a grip on me. He releases one set of his massive claws and swings his them once more to hit a pressure point below my jaw that causes me to collapse, paralyzed. Predaking releases me and I unwillingly transform and plummet to the ground. I barely hear Optimus give orders to the rest of them to engage the Decepticons inside before he does so with Predaking. A fierce aerial battle begins while I lay helplessly dazed on the ice. _Is this what happens? _I wonder. _I lay here, unable to move while Optimus fights for our lives?_ Predaking eventually grabs Optimus and smacks him into the ground, leaving him disoriented for a moment before he slowly attempts to push himself to his feet. Predaking transforms and lands next to the struggling prime. He growls a few words before aiming his weapon at Optimus. _No!_ I suddenly regain mobility and flip off of my back to transform into a beast and charge. Unaware, Predaking begins to charge his gun. I part my jaws while I sprint towards them and bite down on Predaking's outstretched arm, causing him to miss. He shakes me off and scowls at me with such contempt. I let out a fearsome roar and charge my beam to fire at him. When it makes an impact, a cloud of mist forms from the snow around him and all seems quiet.

I bare my teeth and growl as he slowly walks, in the form of a beast, out of the mist towards me. Suddenly, he stops a few lengths away. A visible fireball forms in his throat while I charge my beam in mine.

Out of nowhere, Optimus rises above us with his jet wings and proceeds to fire his machine gun at Predaking. In response, he takes flight and aims straight for Optimus. Unsure of whether I'll hit Optimus, I cease the charging of my beam. Predaking then grabs Optimus' shoulder with his jaws and flings him into the ground. My eyes widen with alarm when I realize that Optimus isn't moving this time. My chest fills with fury as I spread my wings and hurtle myself into the air at Predaking knocking him out of the sky. As we descend towards the ground, we deliver harsh blows to each other until Predaking uses his hind legs to kick me off of him just before we hit the ground. I stagger to my feet and glower at Predaking as he does the same. He now stands between me and the dome that the Autobots had entered. I also notice that I now stand between him and Optimus. Predaking stares angrily back at me, but narrows is eyes as if he is receiving orders. He abruptly turns tail and flees toward the dome.

Remembering Optimus, I quickly turn around and sprint to his side. I transform back into a human and land on his chest while anxiously searching for a sign that he's still alive.

"Optimus?!" I call to him desperately. His eyes remain closed and he fails to move anything. _Oh no. What do I do?! I can't leave him out here! I can't call for Ratchet either…_ All of a sudden, Optimus shifts and lets out a huge groan. I sigh with relief as he opens his eyes and peers up at me. "Thank Primus, you're okay!" I wheeze, "I thought I lost you there for a second."

Out of nowhere, Predaking blasts a hole in the roof facility he had fled into. He emerges with a large turbine-like object in his hind claws and Shockwave in his front ones. Before I have a change to dive out of the way, Predaking swoops down close enough for Shockwave to snatch me off of Optimus. I struggle with all my effort to get free, but the Decepticon has too tight of a grip on my arms which are now pinned to my sides.

A ground bridge opens midair in front us and he flies through to emerge into the Decepticon warship. I am carried into the laboratory I dreaded seeing again and chained to the same table with energon shackles instead. Megatron enters behind us with Knockout and Soundwave. I glare at Soundwave with surprise and hatred.

"Well, look at what Predaking has found!" Megatron snarls at me, grinning. "It seems we obtained a runaway test subject _and_ a medic!" My eyes widen in fear then look to bore into Megatron with such fury that I have never felt before.

"You lay one rusty claw on him," I growl, "And I'll rip your spine out myself! Oh wait, I forgot. You don't have one!"

"Silence!" He commands before back-handing me. My nose begins to bleed and my mouth fills with blood and energon alike. _I'm surprised he didn't shatter my face!_ "You will know who your true master is, soon enough. With enough oppression, any being can be broken."

"Scrap you!" I spit my blood in his face. "You have _no idea_ what oppression feels like! I have seen _exactly_ what you did to your home planet. You attempted to take control of it and, instead, you defiled it and caused it to go offline! Now you've come to our planet to do the same, only you know not of the power you're dealing with!"

"Enough!" Megatron snarls, "You seem to enjoy running your mouth. Let's see how much you enjoy being trapped in the form of a wordless beast!" He turns to the smaller red Decepticon. "Knockout, force her to transform and remove her t-cog. She will be no threat as long as we have Predaking watching over her; we'll break this human yet."

"Yes, my liege," Knockout bows slightly with an eager smirk as Megatron moves to exit the room.

"Oh, and one more thing; make sure she is awake and can feel the entire procedure," he adds with a vicious grin before the door closes.

"Well isn't this a lovely turn around?" Knockout turns toward me, "Looks like I'll be the one putting scratches in your paint this time." I narrow my eyes at him menacingly.

"You'll never get me to transform," I snarl. At this, Knockout chuckles as if I had said something funny.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure," he retorts "In fact; we have a little event coming up. I'm sure you wouldn't want to miss it for the world!"


	15. Chapter 14

**Note: **Sorry this one is really short! Didn't have a lot of time today. I will be posting another soon.

**Chapter 14**

I find myself being escorted by Predaking away from the ship. We've been flying for a while now with my arms and legs bound and only my wings free to fly. Predaking had told them that he refused to carry me before we left, so I was stuck trying to fly straight beside him. He let out an irritated growl as if we're going to slow.

"Hey, you try flying like this," I snap at him, "If you wanted to go faster, you should've just carried me." He growls a little louder this time, but continues flying. Eventually Predaking stops and turns around with his claws outstretched. Refusing to flinch, I stop and glower at him as he raises them to strike. Suddenly, he swings them downward towards me. Braising myself for a hard blow, I shut my eyes and clench my teeth. They open in surprise when I feel nothing to see that he only meant to break my bonds. I look down at my now free limbs then up at him in confusion with a frown on my face. _Either he just wants to go faster, or he knows that I can't transform like that._ Without a sound, Predaking resumes in his flight path as if nothing had happened, looking back to make sure that I'm still following.

Soon we slow down and begin to descend through the clouds. To my horror, I recognize the Autobot base below us. _This isn't happening! I just passed out and having another nightmare!_ The sound of jet engines emanate from nearby. My face turns pale when I spot an armada of Decepticons diving towards the hangars. I move to counter them, but Predaking grabs hold of me, letting me do nothing but watch as fighter jets rise from the base and attempt to defend it. One Decepticon strays from the rest to fire a missile at one of the hangars. I jerk my head back a little in surprise when I realize that they fired at the wrong one. _But they still think that they're dead… I'm going to have to make them believe that they're right._ Predaking releases me as the Decepticons fly away. I dart down towards the wreckage.

"No!" I scream, "This isn't real!" I fall to my knees and wail out loud, acting as if I'm on the verge of becoming enraged.

"Isabelle?" Wheeljack's face appears around the corner of the base. I freeze on the spot and slowly stand and turn to face him shaking.

"Get back inside, Wheeljack," I stare at the ground, my voice quivering with sorrow.

"No way!" he responds, moving to step out from cover.

"Don't you get it?! They think you're dead!" I begin to panic when I hear the beating wings of Predaking grow closer. "Get out of here!" I shout before transforming and whipping around to face Predaking. He comes at me in full force in attempt to knock me out. I quickly dodge and swing my claws at him, striking his head aside. Predaking recovers, and quickly grabs my neck with his teeth and squeezes until my vision grows blurry and my body grows weak. When he becomes aware of this, Predaking relinquishes his hold on me and allows me to fall to the ground, my head spinning. He transforms and contacts the Decepticons.

"She has transformed," he states, "I will require a ground bridge to return." I glance over and see Wheeljack getting held back by the Autobots who had apparently emerged during the fight. With much effort, I left out a weak growl. _Don't waste this Wheeljack._ A ground bridge opens behind us and Predaking grabs my wings to drag me through. The last thing I see of the Autobots is Wheeljack finally getting free and running towards us before we disappear and the ground bridge closes.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" I look up to see Knockout grinning at me. Too weak to growl at him, I groan and let my head fall to the ground in defeat. _I know what comes next_. Knockout's smile vanishes and he turns to Pedaking.

"Hold her down for me, would you?" he commands the two soldiers standing by the door. They do so, but I lay without struggling beneath their hold. _I know the consequences are for my actions, and I regret nothing._ I glance up at Predaking who sits there staring at me with his eyes narrowed. "This isn't going to hurt a little," Knockout states, "It's going to hurt a lot." He transforms his hand into a saw that begins to whir as he brings it closer and closer to my torso. I feel the excruciating pain of the blades ripping my plates from the inside out. Each time he makes a new gouge in me, I can't help but to let out a roar of pain. "Oh don't be such a prototype," Knockout comments. It seems like hours of him poking around inside hip until he finds my t-cog and slices it out. I've lost so much energon at this point, that I can barely move. Knockout tosses my t-cog aside and grabs a few tools to patch up the gaping hole he created in me.


	16. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

A day passes after the removal of my t-cog, and I finally have enough strength to walk. Predaking has been keeping close tabs on me by the order of Megatron since then. We've been sitting on the flight deck for a while just staring at each other. "I almost pity you, human," he comments, "I too know what it feels like to be trapped in that form." I snort at him and look away, gazing at the clouds slowly passing us. _What I wouldn't give to be one of them right now. Just a cloud lazily floating by. Nothing can hurt you; nothing matters. _I shake myself out of this fantasy. _What am I thinking? Clouds aren't even living beings! If there could be no hurt, there couldn't be happiness. People wouldn't… Ratchet! Ratchet's on this ship somewhere… I have to find him- to make sure he's okay._

I feign sleep until Predaking decides to power down himself. Then, I rise to my feet and limp off of the flight deck as quietly as I can. The hallways are as dark as ever and cause me to take a minute to adjust my optics. I roam the ship avoiding all of the guards with great difficulty. _It would be so much easier with a human body._ I dart to the side when I hear an agitated voice come from down the hallway.

"Knockout, get this. Knockout, get that. Why do I have to fetch so many things for that guy?!" Knockout groans, "Him and his 'guest' Autobot. What's the point of diplomacy if we're going to kill him anyway?!" My eyes widen with rage and I jump out in front of him, causing him to stop in his tracks. "Gah!" he turns and flees back in the direction he came. I thunder down the hallways after him. _Chances are he'll run back to the place he came from- possibly where Ratchet is. It's a slim chance, but I'll take it._ We play cat and mouse until he runs through a door and locks it behind him. I sit and listen to the voices inside.

"What, in the name of the All-spark, is going on out there?!" Ratchet exclaims.

"She's loose!" Knockout responds.

"Who?" he questions. When no response comes, I hear movement towards the door. "Out of my way!" The door opens to reveal Ratchet, who looks up at me in astonishment, and Knockout, who's cowering behind him. "Isabelle, I-" Before he can say more, I touch my forehead to his helm and enter his mind.

I stand on top of a huge rock form that looks like the former base of the Autobots before it was destroyed. Below me, the Autobots have gathered for what seems like Cliffjumper's funeral. Arcee transforms and speeds off while Ratchet says something to Optimus. "Helping humans will only result in more tragedy." I transform as the images of the Autobots fade, and we are left in an empty desert.

"And how is this the humans' fault?" I call from where I stand. Ratchet whips around in surprise. "I mean, really, Ratchet, we're the ones giving you safe haven, but, because one of your own has been murdered, you resort to not helping the humans. Pfft," I scoff, "like we needed your help until now." He stares at me in shock. "Yet, you could 'help' us so much more if the humans actually knew about you," I sigh as I float down to where he is. "The United States government, however, wants to keep you a secret, and I have a pretty good idea why." Realization of who I am crosses Ratchet's face, but he remains silent while I continue in my rambling. "There are many people in this country, no, on this planet, which have a certain set of beliefs. The knowledge of your existence would shatter the sanities of the weaker of those people. The government can't have that. You see, the government was formed to protect 'the people'. There are some, like me, who have adapted their beliefs to modern science and reality. Unfortunately, we are too few and the weaker-minded continue to strive while we are forced to remain silent in such matters." I look up at Ratchet and remember where we really are. "Back to the beginning, huh?" I question, "Thinking back to before this all began, wondering 'what could've gone differently?" He seems to remember too, because his expression turns grimmer than before.

"I can't believe you're here," he sighs.

"I was captured on that last mission, the same time you were apparently. Since then, I've witnessed the 'death' of our comrades," I make air quotations around the word "death".

"What do you mean?"

"The Decepticons think that the Autobots are dead," I explain, "They attacked the base- or what they thought was the base. To make it convincing, I did exactly what they wanted me to do: become enraged and transform so that they could remove my t-cog."

"They what?!"

"I knew what I was doing, Ratchet. At least now the rest of the Autobots have the advantage and a chance of finding us. Now that the Decepticons intend to terminate you as soon as you've finished…whatever you're doing."

"I've already figured that out," he replies, "and they've recruited me to finish the synthetic energon formula."

"Interesting word choice," I comment. "Recruit, sure. Well, I best get out of your head. 'Cons will get suspicious pretty soon. This is the only conversation we'll have for a good, long while. I'll stay with you until then," I finish before exiting his mind and returning to my own.

I open my eyes and withdraw my head to gaze down at Ratchet with relief. He turns around to see Knockout still panicking. "What on the planet Cybertron are you doing?" he exclaims. Knockout quickly realizes that I'm not here for revenge and emerges from behind a control panel to dust himself off embarrassedly.

"Nothing," he replies smoothly. I whip around when I hear heavy footsteps behind me. It's Shockwave, and he looks surprised to see me- at least I think he does. He raises his hand to the side of his head and begins to speak.

"Lord Megatron, it's-"

"Yep-ep-ep!" Ratchet interrupts, "there will be no need for that. She just found me and wants to stay by my side, if that won't be a problem." Shockwave considers this for a moment.

"I will allow her to stay, provided that she provides CNA samples when needed," he replies. I narrow my eyes at him, but give him a nod in agreement. "Then I will have to inform Lord Megatron of this… happy accident," Shockwave finishes before walking away.

I now lay next to Ratchet with my head resting in between my front claws while he works between a panel and a table full of instruments I have never seen before. Knockout gingerly approaches me, and I raise my head to narrow my eyes at him.

"So, uh," he begins, "No hard feelings?" He stretches out his hand as a peace offering. _Don't think so._ I growl and snap at his fingers. "Gah!" he screams as he pulls his hand back.

"I don't think she's ready to forgive you just yet," Ratchet comments without looking up from his work. I snort in agreement and rest my head again as Knockout moves away from us. "Lucky for you, we have all of the Cybernucleic Acid we require at the moment," Ratchet mentions to me, "It would seem that Shockwave was just trying to scare you out of staying with me." I sigh heavily. _I figured that part out, Ratchet. It's not even close to what he's put me through, though._ I close my eyes and begin to fall asleep until I hear Ratchet speak up.

"The final piece of the puzzle," he whispers to himself. I stand up and growl softly at him. _You're very loud, you know that?_ "Thank you Decepticon engineering," he sighs, ignoring me. Megatron suddenly can be heard over the intercom requesting Shockwave's presence.

"Understood, My Leige," Shockwave replies before walking towards the exit. He suddenly turns toward Knockout before leaving. "Knockout, supervise our guests in my absence." He glances at me before leaving without another word.

"Wow, thanks for the big vote of confidence," Knockout grumbles while attempting to open a canister of CNA. Ratchet turns back to his screens and begin to vigorously press buttons.

"I can't allow Megatron to possess the stabilized formula," he whispers as the screen changes, "Not now, or ever." I growl at him once more. _Stop talking and just do it!_ He looks to me and nods, as if he understood me, before turning to the table behind him and turning on one of the gadgets, that start to spin, and throwing another in. This causes a mini explosion to go off inside of it.

"For the love of- what is happening?!" Knockout whips around furiously.

"The formula's instability!" Ratchet exclaims, "It must've caused a chain reaction!" Now alarmed, Knockout raises his hand to his head and calls for the guards outside to assist in putting out the fire blazing on the table full of instruments. Smoke fills the room, and that's when Ratchet and I make our exit.

We race down the hallways as fast as we can. Soon we are tailed by three guards who begin to shoot at us as soon as we are in sight. I stop and turn around to head-butt the middle guard before striking at the other two, who immediately fall to the ground, passed out. I catch up to Ratchet quickly as he races down the corridor.

"Not bad for and old bot and a human," he comments. I glance at him in amusement before we skid around a corner only to be met by Megatron. He stomps down on Ratchet's hood, but I fling myself onto Megatron, knocking him off of Ratchet. Megatron looks to the spot where Knockout cut out my t-cog and unsheathes his sword to jab it into my wound. I let out a roar, but fall to my side, rolling off of Megatron as Ratchet transforms to face him. "If you terminate me, you'll never get your hands on the formula," Ratchet threatens.

"Oh, I wouldn't be so certain, Doctor," Megatron replies, "My experts are working diligently to disentangle your false trail as we speak."

I am soon delivered back to an irritated Predaking who doesn't seem happy to see me again. He spares me of physical discipline when he sees what Megatron did to me. "I assume you have done something worthy of receiving that mark," he remarks. I growl loudly at him before slinking to the back of the shaded section of the flight deck and collapsing at the edge of the sunlight. I close my eyes and fall into the first sleep I've had since being re-captured by the Decepticons.

My eyes flash open when I hear the door to the flight deck open. I raise my head to see Ratchet being force through, landing at the feet of Predaking.

"Do you feel defenseless, Autobot?" Predaking asks, "Good. Now you know what my fellow Predacons endured." He swings his claws and grabs Ratchet's head. "Right before you massacred them!" Predaking flings Ratchet out from under the cover and charges while transforming into a Predacon. I attempt to get to my feet, but fail due to the re-opening of my wound. My eyes dart to Ratchet as I helplessly watch him being tossed around like Predaking's chew toy. Predaking grabs him in his jaws and tosses him against a wall.

_Enough! _My strength returns and I charge at them, head-butting Predaking away from Ratchet. I throw myself on top of Ratchet's shredded body and stand over him to face Predaking. He glares at me in surprise and lets out a terrifying shriek. I answer him with my own fearsome roar. Furious, he charges and swings his claws at me, tossing my weak body aside. Not ready to give in, I slowly stagger to my feet while my vision fades in and out. Predaking ignores me and turns back to Ratchet, pinning him down with his claws.

"Just get it over with," Ratchet pleas weakly, "It's not like I could ever live with myself- knowing the role I played in humankind's extinction. But if you want to avenge your cohorts, don't stop with me; keep avenging all the way to Megatron!" I charge at Predaking and knock him off of Ratchet, panting as I stand between them once more. Predaking transforms and glares at the both of us with confusion.

"What? What do you mean?" he questions.

"Your 'high and mighty leader' wanted your Predacons exterminated," Ratchet explains while placing a hand on my side for support, "and simply allowed us to do his dirty-work for him!" Predaking attempts to reach for Ratchet, but I snap at his hand in defense.

"Nothing but a false claim to save your own spark!" Predaking exclaims.

"You consider yourself an intelligent being, don't you?" Predaking falters in his stance. "Then rise above your base instincts and _analyze _the situation. We followed the trail that day with the desperate hope that it would lead to an energon mine," Ratchet explains as he wipes the energon from his face, "we had no idea that we would find Shockwave's laboratory."

"The coincidence is barely seen as plausible," Predaking dismisses.

"Because it _wasn't _a coincidence!" Ratchet exclaims, "Energon was clearly _planted_ to lure us there, by Megatron." Predaking calms down a bit, allowing me to relax a little.

"Why would my liege wish to destroy us?" he questions.

"Having just been on the receiving end of your might, one theory springs to mind; Megatron fears you, and any like you." Predaking's eyes widen in sudden realization before he lets out an enraged snarl and storms into the ship. "We should contact the Autobots, ngh," Ratchet cringes as he grasps bleeding his side. I look back at him, concerned before helping him towards the door to the inner ship. Ratchet and I assist each other onward around Predaking's destruction of the guards until we reach a control panel. He presses a few buttons before speaking into the panel.

"Autobot base, do you read? This is Ratchet, can anyone hear me?"

"Loud and clear old friend," Optimus' voice responds. Cheering can also be heard from the base.

"Listen to me, Megatron has managed to rebuild the Omega lock onboard his warship!" Ratchet quickly explains. "I've deactivated the Decepticons shielding systems. You should be able to get a fix on my coorinates. Isabelle is also with me." I let out a hum of elation to confirm his statement, but stop short when an explosion happens and gunfire emanates from down the hall. "Optimus you must hurry! Megatron I preparing to cyberform Earth as we speak!" Ratchet terminates the call and leads me down the corridor away from the skirmish.


	17. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

"There," Ratchet comments as he finishes sealing my wound from Megatron, "That should keep it sealed- for now." After contacting the Autobots, Ratchet had led me to a spare room in the ship where he hastily patched me up. "We should get to the Omega Lock." I stand and give him a confident nod. He transforms and we race down the hallways while he informs the Autobots of where we're headed. When we stand right around the corner from the door, Ratchet transforms and turns to me. "I'll handle the guards myself. I don't want you pushing yourself after what you've been through," he explains. I snort and roll my eyes at him. _I've been through worse._ He ignores me and unsheathes his blades before charging and taking out the guards with relative ease. I follow behind him with a look of amusement on my face. _Not bad for an old bot indeed._ We enter the chamber where we find Shockwave at a control panel. I bare my teeth at the sight of him and crouch in my stance behind Ratchet as I follow him towards Shockwave.

"Shut it down, Shockwave," Ratchet commands. "We cannot allow you to harm Earth."

"The planet will not be harmed, only it's indigenous life-forms," Shockwave counters. I begin to growl intensely at this comment.

"Over my sparkles husk," Ratchet replies before charging. He jumps onto Shockwave who flings him into one of the tanks that are filling with synthetic energon. I let out a roar and swing my claws at Shockwave. They hit hard and he goes flying across the room. Unable to tear my focus away from him, I sprint at Shockwave as he slides down the wall. I lower my head and head-butt him in the chest, causing him to seemingly black-out. Remembering Ratchet, I shake my head and look away from Shockwave. My hasty decision turns out to be a mistake when I feel the sharp pain of Shockwave punching deep into my side. I collapse for a moment, shaking and spitting out energon. Shockwave informs Megatron that the Omega Lock is ready and opens the floor to reveal the very thing that was believed to be destroyed a long time ago. The sound of Megatron and Optimus in a fierce brawl emanates from below. I also hear Ratchet run at Shockwave, only to get beaten up while I try to shake the blurriness from my optics. Suddenly, the ship veers sideways, throwing everyone off balance. I fall against a few of the tanks and attempt to stand up again, finally clearing my vision. Smokescreen phases through the door we entered through carrying a giant sword.

"Optimus!" he calls down, "Catch!" He lifts the sword to throw it, only to be shot my Shockwave. Smokescreen falls back into the wall of energon, holding his smoking shoulder, while the sword goes flying.

It suddenly becomes a race to see who can retrieve the sword first. Arcee and Bumblebee race Starscream and one of his goons around one side, while Shockwave leaves Ratchet to race around the other side. Arcee takes out the Decepticons while Bumblebee races ahead and tosses the sword into the air before punching Shockwave in the eye and knocking him out. Bee jumps to catch the sword and lands right next to me. I rise to my feet and give him a gladdened look before running to Ratchet's aid. _Bumblebee can do this, I know it._

"I'm alright," he dismisses my concerned look. "Optimus, you must use the sabre to destroy the Omega Lock! It is the only way to save Earth!" I glance down at Bumblebee who has been making his way towards Optimus. Megatron, realizing what we're doing, knocks Optimus aside and begins to fire at Bumblebee as je jumps into the air. Shot after shot hits him until his chest is nothing but a burning scrapheap.

_No! _I stare in horror, for a moment, at Bumblebee as his life fades away while he falls into the giant pool of synthetic energon. My wings spread and I dive towards him and clutch his body as close to me as I can while we both sink into the pool of synthetic energon. _No, he isn't dead, he... _The memory of the time I met Bumblebee flashes in my mind. _Why _did_ he save me? _Bumblebee's body gives a sudden jolt, and I look to see that the hole in his chest is beginning to fill itself in. The hollow area that once contained my t cog also feels as if it is regenerating and becoming whole again.

"Isabelle?" I hear his voice for the first time. He turns to gaze up at me before we both remember what's going on. I give him a nod and spread my wings to pull us out of the energon, still grasping Bumblebee's arms. We launch into the air to see that Megatron has Optimus hanging onto the edge of the platform. I glance down to see Optimus' sword lying near them. Bumblebee sees it too and I dive towards it. He grabs the hilt and I launch him from my claws towards Megatron as he prepares to finish Optimus. Bumblebee aims the sword at Megatron's back. "Megatron!" He shouts. Megatron turns around just before Bumblebee thrusts it through his chest. Megatron's eyes widen with shock and he gasps for air as the dark energon flows from his body. "You took my voice. You will never rob anyone of anything ever again," Bumblebee declares while glaring into Megatron's weakening eyes. Megatron raises his sword in his hand as if to swing, but loses his grip on it and it falls behind him off of the platform. He falls to his knees and clutches the sword that Bumblebee still holds in his chest. The red lights of his eyes begin to flicker.

"Lord Megatron, no!" Starscream wails from the upper platform. Megatron's eyes go dim and his corpse falls from the blade, off of the Omega Lock, and down to Earth's surface. I let out a victorious roar, and the remaining Decepticons back down. Bumblebee lowers his hand to help Optimus up from the ledge. "I will avenge you, master!" Starscream lurches forward, but Shockwave restrains him.

"Starscream, do not be a fool!" He commands.

"Curse you and your logic!" Starscream whines while Shockwave drags him through the door to the inner ship. The other Decepticons follow their fleeing commanders.

I grab both Optimus and Bumblebee to use my newfound strength to carry them to the chamber where the other Autobots are waiting.

"Bumblebee..." Ratchet says in awe.

"Your voice," Arcee adds.

"My voice? What are you- My voice! Ratchet, I have my pipes back!" Bumblebee gleefully embraces a surprised Ratchet.

"Yes. Yes, we noticed," he chuckles.

In exhaustion, I walk near the door to the inner ship and transform into a human. I glance at the Autobots and beam at them with both joy and weariness. _We did _it. I think to myself. _We actually saved Earth...and Cybertron. _Suddenly, my head is thrown back as an unbearable pain stretches from my back through my abdomen. My mouth is frozen in a silent scream and my eyes are widened in shock and horror. They wander up to see Starscream looming above me, grinning, and I realize that his spear-like fingers have impaled me from behind. I quickly grab my sword and sever the tips of his fingers off. I pull myself off of his stubs and fly up close to his face with a grim expression on mine.

"Don't think that what you've done will go unpunished," I growl at him. His expression goes from malicious to terrified. The Autobots turn in horror to see Starscream flee through to the inner ship once more as I land where he stood. Energon and blood alike pour out of my wounds, and I collapse onto the floor. Giant feet run towards me before hands scoop me off of the ground. I exert what energy I have left into rolling over onto my back. My head rests on Ratchet's fingertips while my eyes stare wearily at his alarmed face. "I should probably be more vigilant next time," I smile weakly, "Starscream was right behind me and I didn't even notice. I believe he got the vengeance he was searching for...in a way. I wasn't going to let him get it without a few scratches though. Sure scared the hell out of him too." I begin to chuckle but end up coughing up blood and energon instead. The other Autobots quickly gather around Ratchet and I with appalled expressions. "Look at me," I continue, "spoiling the moment. You all should be elated right about now; both of our homes are saved."

"We need to get you to a med bay!" Ratchet ignores me and begins to move away from the others.

"No, Ratchet," I rasp as I place my hand on his. "I'm sorry, but this is one thing you can't fix; we both know that." His face now looks as helpless as the other Autobots'. "My only reason for living since what happened to me," I wheeze, painfully, "has been to restore your first home to its former glory. It's almost done; it just needs the flip of a switch. Don't waste any more of that energon on me. I doubt it could heal flesh wounds anyway. Do me a favor and save your planet, won't you?"

I slowly shift my vision across the despaired faces of the Autobots. "Don't worry," I murmur, "I'm not leaving you just yet." With the last of the energy left in my moribund body, I place my Cybertronian hand on Ratchet's face and show him all of my memories up until now. _Do what you will with these. My death with only cause them to cease to exist. Tell my family what happened to me when the time is right. _I sigh inwardly, and then begin to sing in my head:

_Let it go. Let it roll right off your shoulder._

_Don't you know the hardest part is over?_

_Let it in. Let your clarity define you. _

_In the end, we will only just remember how it feels. _

_Our lives are made_

_In these small hours,_

_These little wonders,_

_These twists and turns of fate. _

_Time falls away,_

_But these small hours,_

_These small hours still remain. _

_Let it slide. Let your troubles fall behind you. _

_Let it shine, until you feel it all around you._

_And I don't mind, if it's me you need to turn to. _

_We'll get by, _

_It's the heart that really matters in the end. _

_Our lives are made_

_In these small hours,_

_These little wonders,_

_These twists and turns of fate. _

_Time falls away,_

_But these small hours,_

_These small hours still remain. _

_All of my regret_

_Will wash away somehow._

_But I cannot forget_

_The way I feel right now._

With these final words, I remove my hand and gaze at him with reassurance. I then close my eyes once more before taking my final breath. As my feeling begins to fade for the last time, I feel no regret, no anger, no sadness; I only feel peace. I look out to Earth, my home, and let out a tranquil sigh. My mind feels nothing but serenity as I slip into oblivion.


	18. Chapter 17

**Note:** It's been so long, I am so sorry, enjoy.

**Chapter 17**

The feeling in my body has completely vanished now. I had closed my eyes when dying, so I can't see anything. _Can I even open my eyes anymore?_ I wonder. My eyes flash open and I gaze down at the Autobots who are still standing in shock after my passing. _C'mon guys,_ I smile sorrowfully down at them, _don't stop now. You've come so far… grant my dying wish… please._

"We should not stand grieving for too long," Optimus speaks up, "Let us meet the wreckers in the bridge and finish what we've come to do." I follow them through the dark corridors of the ship while keeping close.

_I wish their walk to victory didn't turn into a funeral procession. _When we enter the bridge, I witness Wheeljack's face light up, but then dim when he notices that I'm not sitting on any of their shoulders or walking near their feet.

"Where's Isabelle?" he asks. Ratchet wordlessly reveals my paling body lying in his hands and Wheeljack stares at it in disbelief, as does everyone else in the bridge. Wheeljack slowly approaches Ratchet and holds out his hands. Ratchet carefully places my body in Wheeljack's hands and walks to the ship's controls. Wheeljack stands gazing at me, frozen in place with such dejection, while the others look ahead to witness the ship traversing to a spacebridge to Cybertron. I hover over to Wheeljack, attempting to place my hand on his face, only to find that he can't feel me. My hand is withdrawn when I realize that it's transparent, but glowing. I look down at my body to see the glowing outline of my torso and legs. My gaze travels back to Wheeljack as I whisper, _I'm sorry, Wheeljack. I'm so sorry._

A blinding light suddenly radiates from the Omega Lock beneath the ship as it shoots into Cybertron's core. The planet glows with new life, but Wheeljack refuses to look up and rejoice in his home planet's revival.

Soon, we bridge back to the base on Earth for he humans to say their goodbyes. I watch them from beside Wheeljack who hasn't said a word since seeing me dead.

_It would seem that you were not ready to pass on to the next life,_ Optimus' voice sounds in my head while he gazes straight at me.

_So you _can_ see me,_ I turn to him, somewhat surprised.

_Indeed,_ he answers. I turn to face Wheeljack as he cradles my cadaver in his hands, staring at it in grief and dismay. My pale face seems at peace, but he seems far from that. He places my body on the hospital bed pulled out for me by the soldiers on base before his sadness turns into anger.

"Damn it!" he roars while turning to smash one of Ratchet's instruments with his fist. I look to Ratchet in shock, expecting an "I needed that!", but he said nothing. "I should 'a been there! I could've saved her!" My eyes tear up at the sight of him blaming himself for my death.

_Please, Wheeljack…stop. It's not your fault._ I reach out to him only to remember that he can't hear me. I sink to the floor next to my body and cringe on my hands and knees trying to fight back the tears. _Please, Wheeljack! I'm the one to blame here! I'm sorry I put you through this! _I wail as the tears fall from my face and fade before hitting the floor.

"Wheeljack," we both stop and look up when Optimus speaks, "Do not grieve for Isabelle. It will only cause her to feel more anguish for you."

"Oh yeah? How would you know?" Wheeljack questions scathingly.

"Because, though she is not here with us among the living, Isabelle is with us in spirit." My drowning eyes widen in surprise and I look around at each of the Autobots before turning back to Optimus.

_Thank you. I stayed in this world to witness the revival of Cybertron and your species with it. It seems I forgot about the part where I didn't tell Wheeljack goodbye… Please, Optimus, I hid a file in Raphael's laptop awhile back. Wheeljack needs to see it._ He gives me a slight nod that only I can see and looks to Raph.

"Raph," Optimus addresses him, "has Isabelle ever operated your laptop before?"

"Yeah," Raph answers dismally, "between times I needed it, she always borrowed it. I have no idea what for, though." He begins to search through his files and comes across mine. "Wait, where did this come from? This file wasn't here before… There's a password."

"I believe that it is Agápe," Ratchet speaks up. _I figured that you'd remember._

As the video begins, the camera shifts to my face.

"Hey guys," the girl on the screen begins, "so if you're watching this, I'm…no longer with you. I encrypted a video into Raph's files just in case this happens. I've had more than time to learn hacking techniques in my days of isolation, Raph, so don't be surprised," she grins a little before resuming a straight face. "I just wanted you guys to know that, even if I die, I won't leave you. I know that my death probably won't be at the best time. Who am I kidding? There's never a good time to die. Even if I do, though, I want you to see this mission to save your planet to the end. And when that's done, know that I'm at peace knowing that you guys got what you worked so hard for, your home, Cybertron.

The only thing keeping me going since Darkmount is you guys. And when I look at you, and realize how much you mean to me now… I'm scared- scared of losing you, scared of hurting you. Now that I'm dead, I can imagine that I already hurt you a lot. Especially you, Wheeljack. I'm sorry about what you must be going through. Just know that, I look at Bulkhead and Miko, Arcee and Jack, and Bumblebee and Raph, and I see a connection. That helps me to realize that- you're my bot, and you always will be. Please don't spend the rest of your days mourning me, because I know that it's gonna be a long time before you pass. So, do me a favor, and keep fighting for the things that matter in life." Wheeljack can be heard in the background calling for me. The girl glances up then back and smiles once more before the screen goes black.

"We cannot change the past, but we can stay strong and continue to restore Cybertron," Optimus states.

"It's what she would've wanted," Ratchet adds. Wheeljack casts his gaze down at me again in defeat.

"I understand, sir," he mumbles, "I just need some time."

"I think we all need some time," Optimus agrees, "before we leave for Cybertron."

I soon find myself following them to Cybertron, leaving Ratchet behind on Earth. They celebrate in Megatron's demise and Bumblebee's promotion in rank before turning to the matter of Cybertron. Optimus and Wheeljack leave to retrieve the Allspark while the rest of them stay behind. I remain with them and watch as they discover Predaking's sanctum in the plains of his fallen brethren; as Unicron returns in Megatron's body to attack the Autobots. After witnessing the attack, I hurry to where Optimus and Wheeljack fly on-route to search of the Allspark.

_Hurry Optimus!_ I command tensely. Optimus glances at me in surprise of my sudden appearance. _Unicron's back, I can feel him back on Cybertron._ I look to the blackness of space towards Cybertron. _There's been an uprising of the undead… I'm going back._

"No!" Optimus protests, "Even if you could assist them, there is no telling what could happen to you if Unicron discovered your presence."

_That's a risk I'm willing to take, Optimus,_ I reply, _You can't stop me. Just retrieve the Allspark and hurry back to Cybertron._ Without waiting for a reply, I speed away at the speed of light towards Cybertron. As the stars blur past me, I set my sights on my destination and reach for my sword.

The planet grows nearer and nearer before I spot a large mass headed towards the well of Allsparks. The Autobots stand in the warship ready to defend, while Predaking and two other Predacons fly towards the undead army of fossils. I spot Megatron, _no, Unicron_ at the head of the army and let out a battle cry before rushing him and possessing his body.

I float before a giant rusty, almost earth-like face.

"But I wish to rule Cybertron, not destroy it!" Megatron protests without noticing me. Unicron unleashes a stream of purple lightning on him, electrocuting him. I quickly jump to block it with my sword and arm crossed in front of me. Megatron glances at me in surprise as I struggle against the rays of electricity hitting my sword.

_ Seems like you're having a bit of trouble here,_ I smirk and glance back at him.

"Why would you-" Megatron starts.

_Even if you caused an immeasurable amount of pain to everyone, I believe in second chances,_ I cut him off. _No one deserves to be robbed of their soul for anything._ The lightning ceases and I glare through my crossed arm and sword at Unicron.

"Why do you rebel against me? I am a god! You cannot hope to defeat me," he booms.

_You're right,_ I lower my arms, _but I can sure try._ I rush the face and swing my sword before Unicron forces me out of Megatron's body. _It's gonna be like that, is it?_ I glare at him. _Well I can just take down your army one by one then. _I charge at each of the zombi-fied Predacons and release the tortured souls within them. Each leave their bodies while their glowing eyes grow dim and their skeletal husks collapse to the ground. I pause and assess my work to find that I've only taken out a quarter of the army that still marches closer to the Well. Suddenly, the three living Predacons dive into the fray and slay rows upon rows of their fallen brothers beside me.

We whittle the mass down until only Unicron is left. I hear Ultra Magnus' ship fly overhead and sensing Optimus needing my presence. _What is it?_ I ask.

_I have a plan, _he responds. _I will require for you to possess Megatron and force Unicron out of him. I will use the Allspark's container to trap Unicron._ Without thinking about how he was going to get the container empty, I rush into Megatron's body right as he shoots down the ship.

I glower at Unicron's face from in front of Megatron. _Your time is up, Rustface._

"Quite the contrary," he grins at me, "My time has just begun. I am about to destroy the Allspark. After which I will be able to destroy Primus and all of your _Autobots_." I falter in my defensive stance for a moment before a clear voice pierces my thoughts.

_Now, Isabelle! _I shake my head to clear my hesitation away before suddenly charging at the gigantic face and lowering my head. An outline of my beast-form's head appears around my own before I head-butt Unicron out of Megatron's subconscious. A black hole appears in his place and begins to suck me in. _He's trying to take me with him!_ I begin to panic when I feel myself become powerless against its pull. A clawed hand reaches around me and pulls me back until the black hole becomes weaker and disappears with Unicron. I look up at Megatron in astonishment before smirking at him.

_This is the first individual you've saved in, how long?_ I jest at him. He raises an eyebrow at me and half smiles. _It's not much of an improvement, _I observe, _but it's a start._

I leave Megatron's mind before he declares his newfound pacifism. After he leaves, everyone turns to Optimus who states that he had to become one with the Allspark to protect it. My eyes widen in horror as I desperately search his being, hoping that, for once, he was lying. To my dismay, I find countless sparks whirring around in him.

"My quest must be completed," Optimus states as he glances up at me, not able to look at the Autobots.

"Optimus, I didn't return to save a life, only to lose the one I care most about," Ratchet protests. I gaze back at Optimus grief-stricken, unable to say anything. Few words of reassurance are given by Optimus before he takes off and soars into the Well of Allsparks.

I float, at a loss for words, in front of the Autobots as the plethora of Cybertronian sparks flows out of the Well of Allsparks. Joy and grief overcome my ghostly emotions. He's done it again...but at what cost? My ethereal body seems dim compared to all them. One spark in particular separates itself to float in front of us. _Is that... Optimus?_ It flickers and rushes towards me. Phantom tears form in my eyes and I embrace him, sobbing. _You just had to go out in a blaze of glory saving your planet like that didn't you? Just had to show me up? _I ridicule through my tears. My arms slowly release him and I turn around to the others to see astonished looks on their faces. They seem to be staring straight at me. I glance at Optimus and realize that he had made me visible while I held him in my arms. My vision passes over their faces and I sorrowfully beam at them. Tears roll down my face, but my joy for the Autobots causes me to laugh through them before fading, once more, out of their sight; the center of my chest remaining visible as a spark of light.

Before long, I find myself sitting atop the former Decepticon warship. Beside me, Optimus' shining spark hovers while we watch the sparks zoom through the sky after fleeing the Well of Allsparks. The Autobots left a little while ago to begin assisting the new prototypes who have already emerged from the planet. _That'll be you soon, won't it?_ I ask while we watch Smokescreen help a prototype to its feet in its struggle to walk. A smile spreads across my lips as he catches her once more before she hits the ground. _I think it's about time you joined your brethren._ I comment. Optimus glows brighter as if agreeing with me. I smile at him before we set of to find a protoform for him.

It doesn't take long, since the planet began to create them as soon as Optimus merged with its core. His spark leaves my side and enters the protoform encased in cybermatter. The protoform's eyes begin to glow a bright blue as he slowly comes to life. He breaks free of the cybermatter and looks up to me.

"Where am I?" He asks, staring at my glowing figure. I gaze back at him with much affection and happiness.

_After endless amounts of effort and sacrifice, you are finally home, on Cybertron._

"Who are you?" He inquires. At this, I giggle a little bit.

_Aren't you curious? I'm...a friend. A friend from a past life_, I reply._ Speaking of identities, you need a name; how about Orion?_

"That sounds like a nice name," he answers. I grin at him before leading him to his fellow Cybertronians Orion asking me questions all along the way.

_Go make some friends,_ I joke. _Live the life you deserve, Optimus._ He glances at me confusedly. _I mean, Orion._

Days pass since Optimus' rebirth. I watch life spring anew all over Cybertron. _I've seen what I stayed to witness. My time is up. _I decide as I hover high in Cybertron's atmosphere. The light appears above my head as if I had called it by name. I brace myself to enter and leave this world, and the beings in it, behind.

"Wait," a deep voice commands. I freeze and look to the planet to see that Cybertron itself was addressing me. _Is there something you need, Primus?_ I ask.

"I know what you desire, human. Those who fought to revive me resided in the Allspark until now. You were not so fortunate, and your life was severed at an early age...by one of my creations," he explains. "Those who have died have been repaid with a new life. It would only be right for you to receive a second chance." I gaze at the planet solemnly.

_How would you do this? I question. _Primus' summons draws me towards the core of the planet. There I find a lifeless protoform femme, seemingly sleeping in a cocoon filled with liquid cybermatter. It seemed like a natural version of what Shockwave used to birth his Predacons. A glimmer of hope flashes in my eyes but is quickly replaced with skepticism. _Even if I were to be resurrected, how would they know me?_ I ask Primus.

"Once your soul enters this protoform, you will not only give it life, but your original beast form," he answers. "Despite this-"

_I won't be able to remember a thing,_ I finish. _I guess I'll just have to hope that they recognize my other form. I mean, how many other Predacons were reborn?_


	19. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

I wake up with the blank memory of a newborn. My eyes drift around the cavern and I notice the wings on my back. _What is this place? I feel like I remember it from somewhere. I think it's called Cybertron?_ With much curiosity, I search for a way out of the cave. I climb through the tunnels that seem to be deep within the planet. It takes almost an hour for me to spot an exit big enough for me to fit through.

Once I emerge from the tunnels, daylight forces me to shield myself while my optics adjust. When they do, I spot thousands of Cybertronians traversing and rebuilding on the planet's surface. I curiously walk amongst a nearby group of construction workers. They seem too busy to even notice me, so I continue past them to find many more doing the same. I spot a moiety of them transforming into vehicles to haul materials._ Can I do that too?_ I wonder before stepping into a gap in the crowd to try. Without much effort, my two legs become four and I begin to feel very different. I attempt to speak, but only a roar escapes my mouth. The other Cybertronians freeze and stare at me in horror.

"Beast!" One of them cries.

"Monster!" Yelps another. They all begin to transform and flee away from me in every direction. _Wait!_ I screech and whip around in desperation. Some of them stay and begin to draw weapons before advancing on me. In terror, I crouch and shut my eyes while they bind my legs and muzzle. _I never did anything!_ _Why are they doing this?_ Realizing the danger in my submissiveness, my eyes flash open and I struggle to remove my restraints as they hold me down.

"What do we do with it?" One of them asks the other.

"Take it to the Autobots. They'll know how to deal with it," the other replies. Before I know it, I am hauled off to a location I know not of. The Cybertronians toss me onto a transport that I spend on board for what seems like countless hours, but was most likely thirty minutes. The restraints around my legs are released before I am led to a large structure.

"We seek an audience with one of the Autobots," the leader of the group holding me captive states. The guard glances at me and steps back before leading us inside. The Cybertronians working inside stare at me with both caution and curiosity. We are safeguarded to a room with a white and red Cybertronian works vigorously at a set of screens next to a massive rock with a giant circular hole in the middle. All of my panic and frustration evaporate at the sight of him for some reason.

"I'm a little _busy_ at the moment!" He states without turning around. I gaze at him, trying to remember who he is before unintentionally making a soft growl at him. The Cybertronian's rigorous typing stops at this.

"Impossible," he gasps before whipping around to stare at me.

"Ratchet, we found this Predacon near one of our construction sites," the leader of the group states. Ratchet ignores him and approaches me with a look of disbelief on his face.

"Are you able to transform?" He asks me. I gesture to my binds, and he realizes that I can't because of them. He commands the skeptical Cybertronians to remove them. I transform and continue to wordlessly stare up into his eyes before he speaks again. "Do- you have a name?" _A name? What is my name? Uh…_

"My name's Steelfire," I answer after a minute of thought. "I feel like I...know you, but it's like I'm searching for a memory that isn't there," I mumble, frustrated. He gapes at me before a few of the Cybertronians speak up.

"What do we do with it?"

"It's a Predacon! It's a monster!" I drop my gaze to the floor in fear and grief.

"Please!" He glances up and raises his hand to silence them. "She is far from what you claim she is!" He lowers his hand and looks back down at me. "Come with me," he instructs before leading me towards a terrifying looking warship docked outside. On our way to it, I begin to ask questions.

"You act like you know me," I mention, "Why?"

"Because I do," he answers simply. "I mean, I did…in a past life."

"How do you know that I'm who you claim to be?" I ask. Ratchet stops and turns toward me with an irritated, but amused, look on his face.

"For one, you act like her," he states, "stubborn, hard-headed, and at times reckless, yet very intelligent and philosophical for your age." I scoff at his comment.

"Wow, you make me sound like such a great person by the way you put it."

"There is also something else," Ratchet ignores me; "You also have the exact beast form that she did."

We soon arrive at a laboratory inside the warship. Ratchet begins to search for something, and becomes frustrated as if he can't find it. "Scrap!" he curses, "Shockwave must've taken it with him!" At the mention of that name, I suddenly feel hatred and anger rise within me and I begin to growl as if I were in beast form. I cease quickly and put my hands over my mouth.

"I'm sorry!" I swiftly apologize, "I don't know where that came from!" Ratchet stops in his search and gazes at me in understanding.

"There's no denying it, you certainly are her," he sighs, "We'll have to look for that Decepticon scientist if we want this to work…"

Ratchet contacts an Autobot called Smokescreen, who apparently assists someone named Ultra Magnus in training Autobots that protect and serve civilians. He requests scouts to be sent out in search of Shockwave. Smokescreen looks at him confusedly, but gives him a nod before the screen goes black.

"From what I can tell, we're at peace," I comment to Ratchet who is now working at the same screens as when I first saw him, "so why are you training an army?"

"Just because we're at peace now, it doesn't mean that we'll always be," he answers without turning around.

"Because good and evil are always balanced; one can't exist without the other," I finish.

"Exactly." A few minutes of silence pass before Smokescreen's image reappears on the screen. "Have you found them?" Ratchet asks.

"Yeah," Smokescreen replies casually, "It wasn't that hard really. They're not even using any cloaking devices to hide their location."

"They?" I pipe up from behind Ratchet. Smokescreen glances at me in astonishment and opens his mouth to say something.

"And their coordinates would be?" Ratchet prompts. Smokescreen suddenly turns formal in his posture and speech.

"Just outside of Kaon. I'll send them to you know." A slight smile appears on Ratchet's face.

"Thank you Smokescreen," he finishes before the screen turns back to the coding he was working on. "We can take the spacebridge to the coordinates he supplied to us. It's made for long distance travel as well as short ones," he mentions as a green portal swells in the center of the gaping rock. I begin to ask questions again as we approach it and walk through.

"So, by long distance travel, do you mean, like space travel?"

"Primus help me, you ask a lot of questions," Ratchet sighs, "Yes, exactly."

"Well there's a lot I don't know yet," I retort. We exit the other side of the spacebridge before it closes behind us. The "laboratory" we emerge into almost seems like a cave with random bones scattered everywhere among boxes and other things.

"Steady, Shockwave," I hear a raspy, almost growling, voice sound from deeper into the cavern, "I do not wish to see anyone injured today unless it is absolutely necessary."

"As you wish, my liege," a deeper voice responds. Ratchet frowns but leads me deeper into the laboratory towards the voices. We round a corner to see two individuals standing side by side; one tall and menacing, and the other one bulkier with one red eye.

"Ah, the Autobot medic, Ratchet!" the taller one addresses him then glances at me with amusement. "And it seems that you've brought a little friend with you!"

"She is Isabelle reincarnated," Ratchet explains. My eyes widen at the name, but when I search for the meaning behind it, a glitch appears in my optics and equilibrium, causing me to collapse on the spot. Ratchet catches me just before I hit the ground, my hands on my aching helm.

"It would seem that my good deed was not wasted on you, then," Megatron grins at me, baring his pointy teeth. Ratchet helps me back to my feet and I give Megatron a confused look.

"What do you mean?" I ask, letting my arms fall back to my sides.

"It would seem that the price of rebirth," Shockwave pipes up, "is to loose one's memories from the past life. Fascinating." I open my mouth to respond angrily, but Ratchet puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me.

"I have her memories on my drives," Ratchet tells them, "so I believe that you are able to deduce to the reason behind why we are here."

"The cybernetic patch," Shockwave answers, "but why do you think that we would give it to you?"

"Shockwave," Megatron growls, "allow them to use the cybernetic patch. I do not wish to see more of this former human's suffering. Besides, what would the point be in saving her, if she cannot remember the good grace I showed her that day?" Shockwave stares at me for a moment before speaking.

"As you wish, Lord Megatron," he replies.

"Do not call me that," Megatron sighs, "I am no longer a 'Lord' of the Decepticons."

"As you wish," Shockwave repeats before approaching the inner laboratory and motioning for us to follow. Megatron follows closely behind us, almost too close for comfort. The place we arrive in is similar to the entrance, only there are more instruments scattered around this section. Shockwave walks over to a table and picks up what looks like a purple and black cord and gestures to an examination table.

"You want us to do it here?" Ratchet questions, outraged.

"Megatron gave you permission to use the cybernetic patch," Shockwave points out, "not take it."

"Fine," Ratchet sighs before leading me to the examination table and laying me down on it.

"Are you sure about this?" I ask him with a worried look in my optics.

"Worry not, human," Megatron addresses me with a smirk, "No harm will come during the process."

"He keeps calling me that," I comment to Ratchet, "What does it mean?"

"You'll find out," Ratchet promises, "Just try to relax." He moves away to sit on some of the empty boxes nearby before Shockwave attaches the cord to both of our helms and I fall deep into my subconscious.

My eyes flash open to a cavern that seems oddly familiar. I look up to see that the roof of the cave has completely collapsed and sunlight pours through, shining down on the fresh vegetation popping up all over the floor of this place. I turn to my right and see a lake glistening gold in the light and reflecting the light onto a high walled city on the opposite side. The remaining pillars that once held up the roof now stand wrapped in vines blooming with radiant flowers. This place seems like the Garden of Eden. I jump a little when giant footsteps sound behind me.

"That would be your memories before- and after- Darkmount," Ratchet explains, "As you can see, I protect them well from outsiders… Would you like to go there?" I whip around and look up at Ratchet to see him towering over me. Without questioning this, I give him a nod and he offers his hand for me to climb into.

During the trek there, I gaze around at the plants surrounding the path we walk on. Suddenly, a head pops out from one of the bushes, and I notice that it's a girl with light brunette hair and brown eyes. Half of her face seems to be Cybertrionian as well as one of her arms and wings that look a lot like mine. She looks over at me and grins before gleefully running after another girl, who looks exactly like her, but a little bit more cunning. Another girl sits under a nearby tree and draws on a small sketchpad. She seems dismal, but when she looks up at me, I can see a barely visible smile.

When we enter the empty city, I glance at the different almost archaic buildings, curious as to which one we'll go into. Ratchet walks straight ahead to the largest one that almost seems like a palace. We cross the threshold into the place to find a massive library inside.

"If you're expecting me to read all of these, it's going to take forever."

"You don't need to," Ratchet replies before setting me down and leading me to a mammoth book that sits closed on a podium small enough for me to reach. "I'll meet you back on Cybertron," he states before his figure begins to fade. Hypnotized by the book, I reach for the cover and slowly open it to the middle of the book. Light flashes in my eyes, blinding me while memories flood my mind. Suddenly, it stops and I fall to my hands and knees, eyes wide and gasping for breath as my vision grows dark and I begin to return to the real world.

I slowly open my optics to see a familiar medic standing in front of me with his expression full of apprehension.

"Ratchet..." A lump forms in my vocal box as the memories from my past life come flowing back to me. "_Ratchet!_" I leap from the table and embrace him tightly around the back of his neck. "I thought I'd never see you again! I remember dying, then seeing you. Then, I was reborn after talking with Primus. I had no idea who you were... I'm _so_ relieved that you recognized me!" While I sob into his shoulder, Ratchet wraps his arms around me.

"It's good to see you too, Isabelle." After a few minutes, we release each other and I turn to Megatron and Shockwave with a smirk forming on my face.

"So you did change after all," I comment to Megatron, "You remind me of a question asked to me by a good friend once."

"And what would that be?" Megatron questions.

"What is better- to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?" I reply. "I suppose the answer stands right in front of me now." I look to Shockwave, "And you… you changed my life since you mutated me into a half Cybertronian. I guess I should thank you for that."

"I- I don't understand," Shockwave replies.

"Even though you forced me to endure so much pain, in the end, I was able to meet the Autobots, to restore Cybertron. That put more meaning into my life than I could ever ask for, and I thank you for that."

"Your reasoning seems logical to some extent."

"Don't push it, Bucket-head," I narrow my eyes at him. Remembering the bot who first used that nickname, I turn towards Ratchet. "Where's Wheeljack?"

"The last time I saw him, he mentioned that he would repair Ultra Magnus' ship and take to the stars," Ratchet replies, "You knows how that ruffian is."

"Well, I hope that he's slow in repairs," I reply.

Ratchet bridges me to a construction zone near the Well of Allsparks where he said that Wheeljack was last seen repairing the ship. As soon as I step through the portal, I am met by Bulkhead who gives me a huge bear hug.

"I'm guessing you got the message?" I choke out while he squeezes me in his big arms. Realizing how much he's constricting me, Bulkhead loosens his grip and lets me down.

"You bet I did!" Bulkhead exclaims. "As soon as Smokescreen saw you with Ratchet, he contacted the rest of us and gave us the news." His gaze lowers and he seems to be distressed all of a sudden. "Jackie didn't believe him though. He's pretty ticked-off right now and won't talk to any of us."

"I see," I sigh, "To him, it's like pouring salt onto a fresh wound."

"What does that mean?"

"Oh-uh, sorry; it's a human figure of speech," I place my hand on the back of my helm embarrassedly, "Just know that it really hurts."

"Huh, alright," Bulkhead replies, "Well, I'll show you where Wheeljack is." He begins to walk away and motions for me to follow. "We moved the ship to get it out of the way of construction. Wheeljack's been workin' on it since."

"Construction," I echo while craning my neck to look around at all the progress being made by the new Cybertronians. "Back to the old job huh? You running this whole operation?"

"Yeah, actually," he responds with a grin, "Everyone thought that I was the best one for the job. That's a first." His comment causes me to laugh out loud before we stop at the edge of the development. The spark inside me flickers when I spot Wheeljack in the clearing working on the ship's exterior. "I'll leave you two alone," Bulkhead states as he heads back into the construction site.

"Thanks, and Bulkhead-" he stops in his tracks and turns around, "-it's great to see you too." We trade smiles before he walks away and I brace myself to approach Wheeljack. Gaining confidence, I force myself to walk into the clearing towards him. I open my mouth to say something, but he interrupts me.

"This is a wrecker zone, kid," Wheeljack tells me without turning around, "you're probably needed somewhere else, so scram." At this I raise an eyebrow and cross my arms.

"Wow, some 'welcome back' you give, Wheeljack," I scoff. He drops his tool and whips around in surprise. When he sees me, Wheeljack's expression turns to a glare.

"Doc's gone too far this time," he growls at me. I release my arms and step back in astonishment.

"What?" I gasp.

"I know we all miss her, but to go and implant her memories into one of the newbies is just sick."

"But it's really me, Wheelj-"

"No, it's not," he cuts me short. "Sorry to break it to you, kid, but the memories you got don't belong to you." Wheeljack steps toward me and grabs my arm, attempting to yank me back towards the construction site. "C'mon, we're going back to Ratchet and getting those out of you," he commands with a dismal look on his face.

"No!" I yell as I pull my arm free. He turns to me with a dark grimace on his face.

"Don't make me shut you down, kid." Without warning, I transform into a beast and pin him down by his shoulders. I glare into his now wide eyes as he struggles for words. In frustration, I part my jaws and let out a giant roar in his face. "Isabelle…" I transform back and jump off of him, allowing him to stand. "Kid I…" Wheeljack begins as he starts to walk towards me. My fist suddenly leaves my side and swings to hit him square in the faceplate. As he's knocked back, Wheeljack raises his hand to where I hit him. "I probably needed that." My eyes flare at his comment as I re-cross my arms.

"Damn right you did!" I snarl at him. "First, you just dismiss me like that; then you doubt me after I went through so much to see you again…" I trail off while my gaze falls to the ground. "I care about you, Wheeljack. I thought you were going to feel the pain of losing another friend for the rest of your life… and I could feel every ounce of that pain…" Arms suddenly embrace me tightly, and I quickly realize that the arms are Wheeljack's.

"I'm sorry you had to," he says, resting his chin on my head, "but you're not just a friend. You're my human." My eyes widen at the realization of the meaning behind his words before I shut them tightly and press my face against his chest-plate.

"I love you too Wheeljack."


End file.
